Treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in postwar Kosovo high school students using mind-body skills groups: a pilot study.
James S Gordon, Julie K Staples, Afrim Blyta, Murat Bytyqi
Journal of Traumatic Stress April 2004 DOI: 10.1023/b:jots.0000022620.13209.a0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preliminary uncontrolled intervention study Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 139 |
| Population | High school students in Kosovo exposed to war trauma |
| Interventions | biofeedback drawings autogenic training guided imagery genograms movement and breathing techniques |
| Duration | 6-week program; follow-up conducted after participation |
| Measures | Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index |
| Topics | PTSD |
| Key points | Posttraumatic stress scores decreased significantly after participation in the mind-body skills programs and remained decreased at follow-up in the 2 groups that completed it, relative to pretest measures. The authors conclude that mind-body skills groups were effective in reducing posttraumatic stress symptoms in war-traumatized high school students. |
Abstract
This preliminary study examined whether the practice of mind-body techniques decreases symptoms of posttraumatic stress in adolescents. Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index questionnaires were collected from 139 high school students in Kosovo who participated in a 6-week program that included meditation, biofeedback, drawings, autogenic training, guided imagery, genograms, movement, and breathing techniques. Three separate programs were held approximately 2 months apart. There was no control group. Posttraumatic stress scores significantly decreased after participation in the programs. These scores remained decreased in the 2 groups that participated in the follow-up study when compared to pretest measures. These data indicate that mind-body skills groups were effective in reducing posttraumatic stress symptoms in war-traumatized high school students.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Mind–Body Exercises for PTSD Symptoms, Depression, and Anxiety in Patients With PTSD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Frontiers in Psychology January 18, 2022
- A systematic review of randomized trials of mind-body interventions for PTSD. Journal of Clinical Psychology September 1, 2018
- Treating children traumatized by war and Tsunami: A comparison between exposure therapy and meditation-relaxation in North-East Sri Lanka BMC Psychiatry May 13, 2009
- PTSD symptoms, substance use, and vipassana meditation among incarcerated individuals. Journal of Traumatic Stress June 1, 2007