Background: Meditation is a widely practiced method for stress management, and "OM" chanting has been shown to offer physiological and psychological benefits. This study explores the effectiveness of guided and unguided "OM" chanting meditation in reducing stress, depression, and anxiety in healthy young adults.
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of guided versus unguided "OM" mantra chanting meditation in reducing perceived stress, depression, and anxiety.
Methods: A 60-day experimental study was conducted with 96 healthy adult participants (aged 20–60). Participants were randomized into two groups: Group 1 received guided "OM" chanting for the first 30 days followed by unguided chanting, and Group 2 followed the reverse protocol. Psychological assessments were conducted using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-42) on Days 1, 30, and 60.
Results: Both groups showed significant reductions in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. However, Group 1, which started with guided chanting, showed a greater magnitude of improvement compared to Group 2 across all scales, suggesting that guided meditation may be more effective in managing psychological distress.
Conclusions: Both guided and unguided "OM" chanting meditation significantly reduces psychological distress. The guided intervention was particularly effective, highlighting its potential for stress and emotional regulation.
Keywords: OM mantra, meditation, stress reduction, depression, anxiety, DASS-42
How to cite this article: Saini M, Samanchi R, Gupta M, Saran B, Effect of "ॐ" (OM) mantra meditation on stress, depression and anxiety using PSS and DASS-42 scales. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(2s): 851-854; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.851-854