Mindful attention increases and mediates psychological outcomes following mantram repetition practice in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.
Jill E Bormann, Doug Oman, Kristen H Walter, Brian D Johnson
Medical Care December 2014 DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000200 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 146 |
| Population | Veterans with PTSD from military-related trauma recruited from a Veterans Affairs outpatient PTSD clinic |
| Intervention | Mantram repetition program (MRP) |
| Measures | Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), PTSD Checklist (PCL), Brief Symptom Inventory-18 depression subscale, Health Survey SF-12v2, Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) |
| Topics | PTSD |
| Key findings | The mantram repetition program plus treatment as usual increased mindful attention more than treatment as usual alone, and these gains mediated reductions in PTSD symptoms and depression and improved psychological well-being. Frequency of mantram practice mediated the increase in mindful attention. The authors propose that mantram repetition may be a beneficial adjunct to usual care in veterans with PTSD. |
Abstract
Several evidence-based treatments are available to veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, not all veterans benefit from these treatments or prefer to engage in them. The current study explored whether (1) a mantram repetition program (MRP) increased mindful attention among veterans with PTSD, (2) mindful attention mediated reduced PTSD symptom severity and enhanced psychological well-being, and (3) improvement in mindful attention was due to the frequency of mantram repetition practice. Data from a randomized controlled trial comparing MRP plus treatment as usual (MRP+TAU) or TAU were analyzed using hierarchical linear models. A total of 146 veterans with PTSD from military-related trauma were recruited from a Veterans Affairs outpatient PTSD clinic (71 MRP+TAU; 75 TAU). The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), PTSD Checklist (PCL), the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 depression subscale, Health Survey SF-12v2, and Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) were used. Frequency of mantram repetition practice was measured using wrist-worn counters and daily logs. Intent-to-treat analyses indicated greater increases in mindful attention, as measured by the MAAS, for MRP+TAU as compared with TAU participants (P<0.01). Mindful attention gains mediated previously reported treatment effects on reduced PTSD symptoms (using both CAPS and PCL), reduced depression, and improved psychological well-being. Frequency of mantram repetition practice in turn mediated increased mindful attention. The MRP intervention and specifically, mantram practice, improved mindful attention in veterans with PTSD, yielding improved overall psychological well-being. MRP may be a beneficial adjunct to usual care in veterans with PTSD.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
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- The neuroscience of meditation: classification, phenomenology, correlates, and mechanisms. Progress in Brain Research 2019
- The Role of Mindfulness in Reducing the Adverse Effects of Childhood Stress and Trauma Children February 28, 2017
- Rhythmic Chanting and Mystical States across Traditions. Brain Sciences January 13, 2021
- How Chanting Relates to Cognitive Function, Altered States and Quality of Life Brain Sciences October 27, 2022
- Assessing Vocal Chanting as an Online Psychosocial Intervention. Frontiers in Psychology 2021
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- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
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- Teaching self-care to caregivers: Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the mental health of therapists in training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology May 1, 2007
- Cultivating mindfulness: effects on well‐being Journal of Clinical Psychology May 16, 2008
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