Study protocol for a non-inferiority randomised controlled trial of SKY breathing meditation versus cognitive processing therapy for PTSD among veterans.
BMJ Open April 3, 2019 Danielle C Mathersul, Julia S Tang, R Jay Schulz-Heik et al.
A protocol describes an ongoing non-inferiority randomized controlled trial comparing a breathing meditation intervention (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) to cognitive processing therapy for PTSD among veterans. The trial uses blinded assessors and measures PTSD symptoms via the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version, along with clinical, self-report, experimental, and physiological outcomes across four symptom clusters. Analyses will include both intent-to-treat and per-protocol procedures. This is the first such trial of SKY versus CPT for veterans with PTSD. Results will inform future efficacy studies and formal recommendations for complementary interventions.