title: Mindfulness-based stress reduction for posttraumatic stress symptoms: building acceptance and decreasing shame.
abstract: Mindfulness-based psychotherapies are associated with reductions in depression and anxiety. However, few studies address whether mindfulness-based approaches may benefit individuals with posttraumatic stress symptoms. The current pilot study explored whether group mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy reduced posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, and negative trauma-related appraisals in 9 adult participants who reported trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress or depression. Participants completed 8 sessions of mindfulness-based stress reduction treatment, as well as pretreatment, midtreatment, and posttreatment assessments of psychological symptoms, acceptance of emotional experiences, and trauma appraisals. Posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, and shame-based trauma appraisals were reduced over the 8-week period, whereas acceptance of emotional experiences increased. Participants' self-reported amount of weekly mindfulness practice was related to increased acceptance of emotional experiences from pretreatment to posttreatment. Results support the utility of mindfulness-based therapies for posttraumatic stress symptoms and reinforce studies that highlight reducing shame and increasing acceptance as important elements of recovery from trauma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA Rachel.Goldsmith@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Rachel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: James I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Gerhart
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Samantha A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Chesney
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Brighid
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kleinman
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Megan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064866:Mindfulness / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012752:Shame; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: acceptance; mindfulness; shame; trauma