Researchers from the VA Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, WA assessed outcomes resulting from Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for 47 veterans with PTSD, depression and quality of life.

The subjects were randomized to treatment as usual (TAU; n = 22), or MBSR plus TAU (n = 25), and assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and 4-month follow-up.

Intention-to-treat analyses found no reliable effects of MBSR on PTSD or depression. Quality of life improved at posttreatment but there was no reliable effect at 4 months.

At 4-month follow-up, more veterans randomized to MBSR had clinically meaningful change in quality of life and PTSD symptoms. Completer analyses (≥ 4 classes attended) showed medium to large between group effect sizes for depression, mental HRQOL, and mindfulness skills.

Additional studies are warranted to assess MBSR for veterans with PTSD.

Citation;  Kearney DJ, McDermott K, Malte C, Martinez M, Simpson TL. Effects of participation in a mindfulness program for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Clinical Psychology 2013 Jan; 69(1): pp. 14-27. [email protected]