A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Transcendental Meditation as Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Veterans.
Mayer Bellehsen, Valentina Stoycheva, Barry H. Cohen, Sanford Nidich
Journal of Traumatic Stress February 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22665 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Veterans with PTSD |
| Intervention | Transcendental Meditation |
| Duration | 12-week intervention, 3-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation PTSD |
| Key findings | Transcendental Meditation significantly reduced PTSD symptoms compared to treatment-as-usual, with 50% of the TM group no longer meeting PTSD diagnostic criteria at 3-month follow-up. |
Abstract
Preliminary studies have demonstrated the efficacy of Transcendental Meditation (TM) for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study extended previous research with a pilot trial of TM as a treatment for PTSD via a single-blinded, randomized controlled design. veterans with PTSD (N = 40) were assigned to a TM intervention or treatment-as-usual (TAU) control group. Participants in the TM group engaged in 16 sessions over 12 weeks, primarily in a 60-min group format. Change in PTSD symptoms, measured via the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included self-reported PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, anger, and quality of life (QoL). Assessments were conducted at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Mean CAPS-5 score decreases were significantly larger for participants in the TM group (M = -11.28, 95% CI [-17.35, -5.20]), compared to the TAU group (M = -1.62, 95% CI [-6.77, 3.52]), p = .012, d = -0.84. At posttest, 50.0% of veterans in the TM group no longer met PTSD diagnostic criteria as compared to 10.0% in the TAU group, p = .007. Adjusted mean changes on self-report measures of PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and sleep difficulties indicated significant reductions in the TM group compared to TAU, ds = .80-1.16. There were no significant group differences regarding anger or QoL. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of TM as a treatment for veterans with PTSD and for comorbid symptoms. Combined with other research, they suggest that TM may be a tolerable, non-trauma-focused PTSD treatment.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 21
- Randomized controlled trials of mind-body interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
- Temporal dynamics and long-term effects of a mindfulness-based intervention for young adults with adverse childhood experiences. Mindfulness September 1, 2024
- Effectiveness of Meditation Techniques in Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) December 12, 2024
- HEART RATE VARIABILITY AS AN OBJECTIVE CRITERION FOR THE PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL STATE OF COMBATANTS. Wiadomosci lekarskie (Warsaw, Poland : 1960) 2023
- Novel psychedelic interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder and their promise for precision medicine. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology December 4, 2025
and 16 more in the library
Cites 12
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- Effects of Transcendental Meditation in Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study Military Medicine June 1, 2011
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and 7 more in the library