title: One method for objective adherence measurement in mind-body medicine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Home practice is frequently prescribed as part of mind-body medicine interventions, although rarely objectively measured. This brief methods report describes one method for objectively measuring home practice adherence using a custom monitoring software program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Methods for objectively measuring adherence were developed as part of a randomized controlled trial on the mechanisms of mindfulness meditation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects comprised 11 combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  The method used was mindfulness meditation.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were subjective and objective adherence measurements of mindfulness meditation home practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first iteration of objective adherence monitoring used an iPod device and had limitations in participant usage and correctly capturing data. In the second iteration, objective data were easily collected, uploaded, and viewed using the custom software application, iMINDr. Participants reported that iMINDr was straightforward to use, and they returned the monitoring units as directed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The iMINDr is an example of a simple objective adherence measurement system that may help mind-body researchers examine how home practice adherence may affect outcomes in future clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA. wahbehh@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: Helané
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wahbeh
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zwickey
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oken
mesh_terms: D001945:Breathing Exercises; D006801:Humans; D019122:Meditation; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D012984:Software; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000628:therapy*; D014728:Veterans; D014894:Weights and Measures