Efficacy Study of Mindfulness-Based Exercise for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Clinical Trial

Official title: The Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Stretching and Breathing Exercise as a Complementary Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Prospective Randomized Study

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This study will explore the relationship between changes in plasma cortisol and symptom reduction resulting from individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) participating in an 8-week program of mindfulness-based stretching and breathing exercise. The investigators hypothesize that at the completion of participation in the 8-week program, exercise-induced symptom reduction will be associated with changes in cortisol levels.

Clinical Trial Description

This study will employ an intent-to-treat design to evaluate the relationship between exercise-induced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom reduction and exercise-induced changes in cortisol level. The participants consist of nurses and the intervention will be conducted at the Clinical and Translational Science Center of the University of New Mexico. The study was approved by the Human Research Protections Office of the university. Nurses who are screened positively for PTSD will be randomly assigned to either control or exercise group. At baseline and in weeks 4, 8, 12 and 16, immediately after the phlebotomy for serum cortisol, the investigators will ask the participants to rate the severity of their PTSD symptoms using the PTSD Checklist (PCL). ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
• Stress Disorders, Traumatic

• NCT number: NCT01462045
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of New Mexico
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 2011
• Completion date: October 2012