Contemporary clinical trials communications
June 1, 2026
Anne Malaktaris, Niloofar Afari, Pollyanna Casmar et al.
Chronic pain with psychological comorbidity, especially posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or depression, is a prevalent and costly problem, especially among Veterans. Compassion meditation (CM) is a meditative practice that focuses on developing attentional regulation and the intention to assuage suffering. CM-based approaches show promise in ameliorating physical and mental health...
Clinical Gerontologist
2025
Anne Malaktaris, Caitlin L Mclean, Pollyanna Casmar et al.
2 citations
Older Veterans are at elevated risk for psychological distress and may encounter barriers to accessing mental health services. Compassion Meditation (CM) promotes positive emotions and outcomes among distressed individuals; thus, we conducted a preliminary feasibility study of CM among distressed older Veterans. Participants included 25 Veterans aged 55+ (M = 69.0, SD = 10.6) with anxiety...
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
2022
Anne Malaktaris, Caitlin L Mclean, Sheetal Mallavarapu et al.
There is increasing support for the use of meditation-based treatments for US military Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Mantram Repetition Program (MRP), which is a portable meditative practice that features mindful repetition of a sacred phrase, is associated with significant reductions in PTSD symptom severity. Although regular practice is emphasized in meditation-based...
Clinical Gerontologist
November 12, 2020
Anne Malaktaris, Ariel J Lang, Pollyanna Casmar et al.
ABSTRACT Objectives Compassion meditation (CM) training has demonstrated potential in improving well-being and psychosocial functioning. However, most prior studies of CM training have focused on younger adults. The generalizability of the effectiveness of CM training with older adults requires further study. This pilot study was intended to inform future randomized controlled studies of CM...
Journal of Traumatic Stress
March 31, 2019
Ariel J Lang, Anne Malaktaris, Pollyanna Casmar et al.
50 citations
There is considerable interest in developing complementary and integrative approaches for ameliorating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Compassion meditation (CM) and loving-kindness meditation appear to offer benefits to individuals with PTSD, including symptom reduction. The present study was a pilot randomized controlled trial of CM for PTSD in veterans. The CM condition, an adaptation...