362 Taiwanese school children were randomly divided into 4 groups, one TM group and three control groups: a group in which students were allowed a nap, a group in which students were given no special attention, and a group that practiced contemplation meditation. After 6 to twelve months the TM group showed very significant improvement on 5 different scales of intellectual capability, including Field Independence, in comparison to the 3 control groups. The difference in growth with the control groups was so great and so consistent that the probability of chance was 1 in 25 million, p=.00000004. (what is a p-value?) The TM students also showed significantly reduced stress symptoms.Ref.Intelligence 29: 419–440, 2001

Individuals randomly assigned to learn Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Programme displayed a significant increase after three months, in comparison to controls, on measures of field independence, indicating broader comprehension with increasing ability to focus.Ref.Perceptual and Motor Skills 39: 1031–1034, 1974

Among 147 long-term TM and TM Sidhi practitioners (meditating 9 years on average), a significant correlation was found between the length of TM practice and higher scores on: visual memory, non-verbal intelligence, creativity, field independence, response speed, sensory speed, and motor speed. The longer that TM and the TM Sidhi techniques were practiced, the higher the score, which indicates that Transcendental Meditation has a positive influence on all these factors.Ref.Scientific Research on Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation, Collected Papers Vol 3, 257, pp 1954-1966

Military academy cadets that were taught the Transcendental Meditation technique showed improved performance in a speed test on their ability to find a specific reference among a large scale of stimuli.Ref.‘Project for introduction of a programme for prevention of stress—Transcendental Meditation’. Centre for Personnel Studies, Department of Teaching and Research, Ministry of the Army, Brazil