Formal mindfulness practice predicts reductions in PTSD symptom severity following a mindfulness-based intervention for women with co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorder.
Addiction Science & Clinical Practice September 16, 2022 Vanessa C Somohano, Josh Kaplan, Aurora G Newman et al.
Among women with both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD), greater duration of formal mindfulness practice (minutes per session) predicted reduced PTSD symptoms six months after an 8-session mindfulness-based relapse prevention program. More practice was linked to lower total PTSD symptoms, trauma-related avoidance, arousal and reactivity, and negative cognitions and mood. Informal mindfulness practice did not predict any improvements. The findings suggest formal mindfulness practice may help sustain PTSD symptom reductions in this population, but further research on promoting ongoing formal practice is needed.