Centering prayer in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Centering praying (CP) appears to help manage post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in female sexual assault survivors. In a small randomized controlled trial, five women with PTSD due to sexual abuse or rape received CP treatment, while five matched controls did not. After treatment, patients showed significant improvement on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Quantitative electroencephalography revealed a stable increase in theta activity (4–8 Hz) in the left parietal-temporal-occipital areas, which progressively decreased toward normal as treatment continued. The authors conclude that CP offers a distinct, accessible pathway for promoting emotional regulation and resilience rooted in spirituality.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that develops from experiencing a traumatic event. A significant proportion of sexual assault survivors develop PTSD. Research indicates that 75% of sexual assault survivors meet the criteria for PTSD one month after the assault. PTSD treatment combines psychotherapy, medication, hypnosis, meditation, and emerging therapies to help individuals manage trauma-related symptoms and regain control over their lives. Nonetheless, despite advances in PTSD treatments, there remains a pressing need for new approaches to address gaps in current care. We recently demonstrated that centering praying (CP) is useful in treating Parkinson’s disease. Objective: To treat female patients complaining of PTSD due to sexual abuse or rape with CP. Methods: We will develop a randomized controlled trial studying five females from 18 to 35 years old who complain of PTSD due to sexual abuse or rape. Five women paired in an age without any neurological, psychiatric, or systemic disorder will be the control group. Patients will be randomly selected blindly according to the DSM-5 criteria by two neurologists. Comorbid major psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, or severe medical conditions will be excluded. Each patient and the control subjects will be studied by computer tomography to exclude any neurological condition. Outcome Measures will be the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and the quantitative computer tomography (QEEGt). Secondary outcomes will be the PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) to assess depression specifically, Results: Demographic data showed a significant improvement in patients’ clinical condition assessed by PLC-5 and PHQ-9 after CP treatment. QEEGt records demonstrated a stable pattern in all five patients: an increase of theta activity (4–8 Hz) in the left parietal-temporal-occipital areas of PTSD patients. Figure 3 shows a grand average of the five patients, demonstrating an important augmentation of theta activity in this region. Z-values in the QEEGt map show a progressive decrement of the statistically significant Theta increment above our normative data as long as the CP treatment progresses. Conclusion: We conclude that CP appears to offer a distinct and accessible pathway for managing PTSD, promoting emotional regulation, resilience, and a sense of inner peace rooted in spirituality.