Mindful Yoga Therapy for Veterans With PTSD and Pain

VA Connecticut Healthcare System

Status

Withdrawn

Conditions

PTSD

Chronic Pain

Treatments

Behavioral: Mindful Yoga Therapy

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT01957371

01735

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary objective of the current study is to establish the safety and acceptability of Mindful Yoga Therapy as an adjunctive treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain among OEF/OIF/OND Veterans. The current study also seeks to establish preliminary efficacy of MYT for reduction of PTSD and chronic pain symptoms and explore anxiety sensitivity as a mechanism of therapeutic action.

Full description

PTSD is a chronic, debilitating anxiety disorder associated with disability, functional impairment, and a host of co-morbid physical and mental health conditions. Although several treatments are successful in treating Veterans with PTSD, many Veterans fail to complete these treatments and many others complete treatment without significant relief from symptoms. Yoga is one integrative treatment option that has shown promise for a number of physical and mental health conditions, including the treatment of depressive, and anxiety disorders in civilian samples, and chronic pain in Veterans. Yoga is widely offered in Veterans Affairs (VA) PTSD Treatment Programs, yet there is a lack of research on its efficacy for PTSD in Veterans.

Mindful Yoga Therapy (MYT) is a 12-week treatment protocol incorporating meditation, breathing exercises, mindful movement practice, and guided rest (yoga nidra) that has been developed specifically for Veterans with PTSD. This pilot clinical trial will examine the efficacy of MYT with baseline, 12 week, and 24 week follow-up assessments that will include diagnostic, neurocognitive, and psychophysiological measures conducted by a research team member blinded to the study purpose.

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 45 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

OIF/OEF/OND Veteran
Ages 18-45
A willingness to participate in yoga and ability to commit to two 75-minute sessions per week for 12 weeks.
Currently enrolled (under active care) at the PTSD firm or the MST group at VACHS, West Haven
Participants will meet clinical criteria of PTSD (DSM-IV-TR)
Comorbid conditions, including substance abuse/dependence will be allowed except as noted under exclusion criteria.
Veteran with combat exposure or military sexual trauma during deployment(s).
Non-cancer pain score (NRS pain score > 4 on a 0-10 scale whereby 0=no pain and 10=worst pain imaginable) and presence of pain for >3 consecutive months

Exclusion criteria

Any diagnosis of current comorbid psychotic disorders or bipolar disorder
Active SI/HI
Primary and only pain complaint as headache disorder
A regular yoga or meditation practice in past month (more than twice weekly)
Participants with significant limitations or injuries (Potential participants with significant limitations or injuries will be evaluated on an individual basis by research team and the yoga therapists.)
Inability to speak or read English