title: Effects of participation in a mindfulness program for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess outcomes associated with Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for veterans with PTSD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; 37 male, 32 Caucasian) were randomized to treatment as usual (TAU; n = 22), or MBSR plus TAU (n = 25). PTSD, depression, and mental health-related quality of life (HRQOL) were assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and 4-month follow-up. Standardized effect sizes and the proportion with clinically meaningful changes in outcomes were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intention-to-treat analyses found no reliable effects of MBSR on PTSD or depression. Mental HRQOL improved 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 mental HRQOL, and in both mental HRQOL and PTSD symptoms. Completer analyses (≥ 4 classes attended) showed medium to large between group effect sizes for depression, mental HRQOL, and mindfulness skills.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional studies are warranted to assess MBSR for veterans with PTSD.
authors.affiliation: VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA. david.kearney@va.gov
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malte
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Tracy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D057189:Checklist; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D014861:Washington