The Emerging Role of Mindfulness Meditation as Effective Self-Management Strategy, Part 1: Clinical Implications for Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Anxiety.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the efficacy, mechanism, and safety of mindfulness meditation for mental health conditions, particularly in veterans post-deployment.
Results Summary
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy effectively reduced depressive symptoms and relapse rates, while mindfulness-based stress reduction improved symptoms and quality of life in veterans with PTSD. However, insufficient data existed to recommend MBIs for generalized anxiety disorder.
Population
Veterans and service members with mental health conditions post-deployment, including depression and PTSD.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
adjunctive mindfulness-based cognitive therapy | decrease | symptom severity during current depressive episode | recovered patients during maintenance phase of depression management | - | effective for decreasing | #1 |
adjunctive mindfulness-based cognitive therapy | decrease | relapse rate | recovered patients during maintenance phase of depression management | - | effective for reducing | #2 |
adjunctive mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | symptoms | veterans with combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | - | effective for improving | #3 |
adjunctive mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | mental health-related quality of life | veterans with combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | - | effective for improving | #4 |
adjunctive mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | mindfulness | veterans with combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | - | effective for improving | #5 |
MBIs | no change | generalized anxiety disorder | - | - | no sufficient data to recommend | #6 |
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been increasingly utilized in the management of mental health conditions. This first review of a two-part series evaluates the efficacy, mechanism, and safety of mindfulness meditation for mental health conditions frequently seen after return from deployment. Standard databases were searched until August 4, 2015. 52 systematic reviews and randomized clinical trials were included. The Strength of Recommendation (SOR) Taxonomy was used to assess the quality of individual studies and to rate the strength of evidence for each clinical condition. Adjunctive mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is effective for decreasing symptom severity during current depressive episode, and for reducing relapse rate in recovered patients during maintenance phase of depression management (SOR moderate [SOR B]). Adjunctive mindfulness-based stress reduction is effective for improving symptoms, mental health-related quality of life, and mindfulness in veterans with combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (SOR B). Currently, there is no sufficient data to recommend MBIs for generalized anxiety disorder (SOR B). MBIs are safe, portable, cost-effective, and can be recommended as an adjunct to standard care or self-management strategy for major depressive disorder and PTSD. Future large, well-designed randomized clinical trials in service members and veterans can help plan for the anticipated increase in demand for behavioral health services.