Mindfulness Processes and User Experiences in a Randomized Controlled Trial of the Mindfulness Coach App for Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Mindfulness July 11, 2026 Shilpa Hampole, Haijing Wu Hallenbeck, Joseph Wielgosz et al.
Veterans with PTSD who used the Mindfulness Coach mobile app for 8 weeks showed improvements in two facets of mindfulness—describing and nonjudgment—compared to a waitlist control group, and both groups improved in psychological flexibility. Qualitative interviews indicated positive experiences, perceived reductions in stress, PTSD symptoms, and sleep problems, but also barriers to use. High attrition limited the findings' generalizability, highlighting challenges in sustaining engagement with self-guided digital interventions. The app is described as a low-cost, scalable tool that may extend access to mindfulness-based strategies for veterans with PTSD.