Testing the acceptability and initial efficacy of a smartphone-app mindfulness intervention for college student veterans with PTSD.
Andrew Thomas Reyes, Tirth Bhatta, Venkatesan Muthukumar, William J Gangozo
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing April 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.apnu.2020.02.004 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA four-week mindfulness smartphone app based on acceptance and commitment therapy was tested with 23 college student military veterans. Participants reported high satisfaction and found the app easy to use. Significant improvements were observed in resilience, mindfulness, PTSD symptoms, experiential avoidance, and rumination. The findings suggest the app may be a feasible way to support mental health in this population, though a randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm effectiveness.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Single-arm, pre-post feasibility study Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 23 |
| Population | College student military veterans |
| Intervention | mindfulness smartphone-app intervention |
| Duration | Four weeks |
| Topics | Meditation PTSD |
| Keywords | College student veterans Resilience |
| Key finding | Significant changes in resilience, mindfulness, PTSD, experiential avoidance, and rumination were observed after a four-week mindfulness app intervention. |
Abstract
This single-arm, pre-post feasibility study evaluated the acceptability and initial efficacy of a mindfulness smartphone-app intervention intended to promote resilience and improve posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among college student military veterans. The app contained mindfulness exercises and meditations based on the acceptance and commitment therapy. Twenty-three student veterans used the app for four weeks. The results showed high levels of perceived satisfaction and usability of the app. Significant changes in resilience, mindfulness, PTSD, experiential avoidance, and rumination were observed. Future research is needed to test the intervention in a randomized controlled trial.