Spirituality Studies 11-2 Fall 2025 43 Chanchal Surywanshi et al. 2.7 Statistical Analysis Prior to conducting inferential statistics, all quantitative variables were assessed for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk Test, supplemented by visual inspections of histograms and Q-Q plots. Variables that followed a normal distribution (ND) were analyzed using parametric tests – Paired Sample T-Test for within-group (pre-post) comparisons and Independent Sample T-Test for between-group comparisons. Non-normally distributed variables (NND) were analyzed using non-parametric alternatives – Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test for within-group comparisons and Mann-Whitney U Test for between-group comparisons. Homogeneity of variances between the experimental and control groups was evaluated using Levene’s Test wherever applicable. Based on this assessment, HRV parameters were predominantly analyzed using non-parametric tests due to deviation from normality, whereas Vedic Personality Inventory (VPI) scores were analyzed using parametric methods due to their normal distribution. Descriptive statistics were reported as mean ± standard deviation (SD). In addition to statistical significance (p-values), effect sizes (Cohen’s d) and percentage change were reported to provide a comprehensive understanding of the magnitude and direction of change. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 20.0 (IBM), and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. 3 Results The Dhyāna Group (DG) and Control Group (CG) had essentially equal sociodemographic and medical characteristics. The initial values of all variables were normally distributed and did not significantly differ across groups (p > 0.05). Thirty male students were involved in the study. The mean age of participants in the DG was 24.64 ± 3.97 years, whereas the average age of participants in the CG was 23.13 ± 2.99 years (Table 1). 3.1 Heart Rate Variability In this study, both time-domain (e.g., RMSSD, SDRR) and frequency-domain parameters (e.g., LF, HF, LF/HF ratio) were measured pre- and post-intervention using a 5-minute resting ECG-based assessment. These indices help assess subtle shifts in autonomic tone that may occur following meditative practice such as Trimūrti Dhyāna. Table 1 Comparison of Socio-Demographic and Clinical Variables Variables DG CG Number of Participants (only male) 15 15 Mean Age (years ± SD) 24.64 ± 3.97 23.13 ± 2.99 * DG = Dhyāna Group; CG = Control Group.
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