Impact of Mindfulness Training on PTSD Symptoms and Sleep Quality in a Cohort of Firefighters
Masoumeh Mansouri, Ali Naseri
Journal of Sleep Sciences October 26, 2026 DOI: 10.18502/jss.v9i1_2.23045 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 70 |
| Population | Male trauma-exposed firefighters in Shiraz, Iran |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based intervention |
| Duration | Eight sessions of 90 minutes per week; two-month follow-up |
| Measures | Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related PTSD (M-PTSD), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) |
| Topics | Meditation PTSD |
| Key findings | An eight-session mindfulness program was associated with significantly lower PTSD symptom scores (from 100.29 to 92.97 post-test, 94.29 at follow-up) and better sleep quality (PSQI from 9.61 to 5.10 post-test, 5.74 at follow-up) than no intervention, with adjusted mean differences significant at p<0.001. The authors propose mindfulness training as a viable strategy for stress management and mental well-being in firefighters. |
Abstract
Introduction: Firefighters are frequently exposed to traumatic occupational experiences, which may adversely affect their mental health and sleep quality. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a mindfulness-based intervention on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and sleep quality among firefighters in Shiraz, Iran.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test, post-test, and two-month follow-up design. A convenience sample of 70 male trauma-exposed firefighters was recruited (2023–2024). Participants were assigned to either a mindfulness intervention group (n=31; M_age=32.00±4.10) or a control group (n=34; M_age=30.65±3.59). The intervention group received an eight-session (90 minutes/week) mindfulness program, while the control group received no intervention. Assessments utilized the Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related PTSD (M-PTSD) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data were analyzed using MANCOVA and ANCOVA (SPSS v.28).
Results: The mindfulness group demonstrated significant improvements in sleep quality (pre- test: 9.61, post-test: 5.10, follow-up: 5.74) and PTSD symptoms (pre-test: 100.29, post-test: 92.97, follow-up: 94.29) compared to the control group (p<0.001). Multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance confirmed that the intervention group exhibited significantly lower adjusted mean scores for both variables at post-test and follow-up.
Conclusion: Mindfulness intervention significantly reduced PTSD symptoms and improved sleep quality among firefighters. These findings suggest that mindfulness training is a viable strategy for stress management and mental well-being in this population. Policymakers are encouraged to integrate mindfulness-based programs into occupational health services for firefighters
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on PTSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A PILOT STUDY OF GROUP MINDFULNESS-BASED COGNITIVE THERAPY (MBCT) FOR COMBAT VETERANS WITH POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) Veterans with chronic combat posttraumatic stress disorder seeking treatment at a VA... | 2013 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual comparison group | n = 37 |
| Resting‐state functional connectivity of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in post‐traumatic stress disorder and its dissociative subtype Adults with PTSD (n = 70), its dissociative subtype (n = 41), and healthy controls (n =... | 2017 | Cross-sectional resting-state fMRI study | n = 161 |
| Sensory overload and imbalance: Resting-state vestibular connectivity in PTSD and its dissociative subtype. Adults with PTSD, PTSD dissociative subtype, and healthy controls | 2017 | Cross-sectional, seed-based resting-state fMRI study | n = 141 |
| Altered Sense of Body Ownership and Agency in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Its Dissociative Subtype: A Rubber Hand Illusion Study Adults with PTSD (n=4), PTSD with dissociative subtype (n=6), and healthy controls (n=7) | 2018 | Case-control experimental study | n = 17 |
| Superior colliculus resting state networks in post‐traumatic stress disorder and its dissociative subtype Adults with PTSD (n = 67), its dissociative subtype (n = 41), and healthy controls (n =... | 2017 | Observational cross-sectional resting-state fMRI study | n = 158 |