Learning from Spiritual Models and Meditation: A Randomized Evaluation of a College Course

Abstract Effects of two meditation and mindfulness-based spiritual interventions were examined in college undergraduates (N = 44). Compared to a control group, both interventions decreased negative religious coping (d = − 0.80, p < .01) and images of God as mainly controlling (d = − .73, p < .01). One intervention provided more training in tools for learning from community and tradition-based spiritual exemplars. It produced gains in famous or traditional spiritual exemplars’ perceived influence (d = + .81, p < .05) and availability (d = + .66, p < .10), in self-efficacy for learning from spiritual exemplars (d = + .92, p < .05), and in nonmaterialistic aspirations (d = + 0.65, p < .05).