Novel adaptations of mindfulness in the UK Armed Forces during peacetime.

Mindfulness-based approaches for promoting resilience and mental fitness have recently been introduced in the UK Armed Forces, following studies from other countries that used biological and cognitive markers of sustained attention and stress response before and after training to claim effectiveness. Progress has also been made applying mindfulness meditation to veteran patient groups with difficult-to-treat conditions to reduce dropout when little patient choice is offered. The evidence suggests offering mindfulness interventions as an additional treatment option alongside other approaches to maximize engagement with mental health services. Within the mindfulness literature, improving treatment fidelity and teacher competency through investment in teacher training is seen as essential for successful outcomes in controlled trials.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mindfulness approaches to promoting resilience and mental fitness within the UK Armed Forces have very recently emerged against a backdrop of studies from abroad, leading to a plethora of initiatives. These studies have used biological and cognitive markers of sustained attention and the human stress response, before and after training, in the period prior to deployment and made assertions of effectiveness on this basis. Progress has similarly been made in applying versions of mindfulness meditation to veteran patient groups with several difficult-to-treat conditions, to combat high dropout from services when little patient choice is offered. In short, a case has been made for offering mindfulness interventions as a further treatment option in combination with other approaches to maximise engagement with mental health services. Meanwhile, within the mindfulness literature more and more focus has been placed on ways to improve treatment fidelity and enhance teacher competency, and investment in teacher training is seen as essential for successful outcomes in any controlled trial.