Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Meditation Interventions for Treatment of PTSD in Veterans
Brief Summary: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder which results in serious impairments in interpersonal, occupational and social functioning. Effective treatments are available for PTSD but they do not work for everyone. Alternative treatments are needed to help those veterans not helped by currently available treatments. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a group based treatment focused on mindfulness meditation. MBSR has been found to be effective in helping people with problems with pain and anxiety. MBSR has not yet been studied in veterans with PTSD. The proposed study will compare MBSR with a standard psychotherapy treatment in veterans with PTSD. This research is relevant to Veterans' health because of the need to develop alternative treatments for veterans with PTSD who have not responded to currently available treatments.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 years of age or older
* Read and write English fluently
* Traumatic event related to military-duty, including combat, military training accidents, and military sexual trauma
* Transportation to attend meetings and available to complete study protocols
* Stable dose and type of PTSD medications for at least 6 weeks (per chart review)
* Willing to track medication changes during study

Exclusion Criteria:

* Inability to give informed, voluntary consent
* Cognitive impairment sufficient to cause inability to complete the protocol
* Psychotic symptoms
* Dementia or other organic mental disorders that may cause inability to complete the protocol
* Significant documented alcohol/substance abuse
* Presence of severe suicidal urges or intent
* Residence in a geographical area outside of San Diego County or Bedford, Massachusetts area
* Current daily practice of any skills of any meditation-based program - including, but not limited to:

  * Transcendental Meditation (TM)
  * Yoga
  * Tai Chi
  * Qi-Gong
  * Vipassana or Insight Meditation
  * Loving-Kindness or Compassion Meditation
  * Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or other mindfulness program
  * Guided Imagery
  * Mantram Repetition
  * Passage Meditation
  * Walking Meditation
  * Zen or Buddhist meditation
  * Self-hypnosis, Bio-feedback, etc.
* Other participant circumstances that, in the opinion of a consensus of the study team, would interfere with the safety of prospective participants or their need for treatment.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* primary diagnosis of DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) criteria for chronic, PTSD (symptoms lasting 3 months or more)
* male, Veteran
* be free of psychosis and impaired cognitive function caused by traumatic brain injury or dementia

Exclusion Criteria:

* a current diagnosis of substance dependence or unstable bipolar disorder
* currently involved in psychosocial treatment for PTSD
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Male or female veterans who are 18 years or older.
* Must meet current DSM-IV criteria for PTSD based on the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) or have a PTSD Checklist (PCL) score between 40 and 60.
* If taking psychoactive medications, must be on a stable regime for 8 weeks or more.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Current suicidal or homicidal ideation with intent and/or plan that, in the judgment of the investigator, should be the focus of treatment.
* Current substance dependence (not in sustained remission), current or recent (within past 6 months) manic episode, or active psychosis. To be eligible, if veteran has current diagnosis of bipolar disorder, there is evidence that illness has been stable for at least 6 months on medication. Has unstable or serious medical illness, including history of stroke, seizure disorder, or unstable cardiac disease that would interfere with participation in treatment.
* Severe cognitive impairment or moderate/severe traumatic brain injury.
* Unable to comprehend or communicate in English.
* Unwilling to accept random assignment or unwilling to refrain from participating in other active forms of psychotherapy during 8-week treatment.
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Adult male and female active duty, activated Reservist, or activated National Guard OIF/OEF military personnel or OIF/OEF veterans seeking treatment for PTSD
* diagnosis of PTSD determined by a clinician-administered Posttraumatic Stress Scale (PSSI)
* person has experienced a Criterion A event that is a specific combat-related event or high magnitude operational experience that occurred during a military deployment in support of OIF/OEF. The diagnosis of PTSD may be indexed to that event or to another Criterion A event.
* be over the age of 18
* speak and read English
* be stable on any psychotropic medications they may be taking.

Exclusion Criteria:

* current suicide or homicide risk meriting crisis intervention
* active psychosis
* moderate to severe brain damage (as determined by the inability to comprehend the baseline screening questionnaires)

Answer: C