A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation Therapy for PTSD
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder focused on measuring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Meditation, Present Centered Group Therapy, mindfulness, MBSR, complementary alternative medicine
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Signed and dated informed consent and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) authorization form.
- > or = 18 years of age.
- Diagnosis of PTSD (DSM-IV-TR criteria; confirmed by MINI and CAPS).
- Total CAPS score > 45 for the week prior to randomization.
- No substance use disorders (except for nicotine, caffeine) for 2 weeks prior to randomization (Able to Travel to the clinical sites in Tuscaloosa, AL, Atlanta, GA, or Charleston, SC
Exclusion Criteria:
- Lifetime history of bipolar I, schizophrenia, schizoaffective or cognitive disorders (MINI)
- Actively considering plans of suicide or homicide (assessed by clinical interview)
- Psychotic symptoms that in the investigator's opinion impair the subject's ability to give informed consent and participate in the study interventions
- Severe cognitive disorder (Dementia, severe Traumatic Brain Injury)
- Clinically significant unstable or severe medical condition that would contraindicate study participation or expose them to an undue risk of a significant adverse event.
- In regard to vulnerable patient populations, persons with dementia, minors (<age 19), the elderly (>age 65), prisoners and the terminally ill are excluded.
- Individuals with significant psychotic or dissociative symptoms or severe personality disorder.
Sites / Locations
- Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL
- Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur, GA
- Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Sham Comparator
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Present Centered Group Therapy
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a manualized program involving 8 weekly classes and a single 6-hour silent retreat session based on a systematic procedure to develop enhanced non-reactive awareness of the moment-to-moment experience of perceptible mental processes.
Present Centered Group Therapy (PCGT) serves as a credible control for the nonspecific effects of a group-based intervention (i.e. controls for time, attention, expectation of recovery, and recognition of the illness).