A Controlled Breathing Course for Social & Emotional Health for Vietnam Veterans With Chronic PTSD-RCT
Condition: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
MeSH terms: Stress Disorders, Traumatic; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 1

Summary: 
      The main aim of this project is to evaluate the use of a specific Yoga technique of
      controlled breathing in Vietnam War Veterans with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder. This
      method is currently the subject of a United States grant application to formally test
      American War Veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq. Drs Gerbarg and Brown are collaborating with
      The Bay Pines Veterans Administration Medical Center in Florida to develop a study of this
      course for treatment of American veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. Elements of
      this method have been used on a variety of populations. Whilst this is a multi-component
      intervention, it is postulated that the most active ingredient in the program is a specific
      Yoga breathing technique called Sudarshan Kriya (SK).
    

Detailed description: 
      The main aim of this project is to evaluate the use of a specific Yoga technique of
      controlled breathing in Vietnam War Veterans with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder. This
      method is currently the subject of a United States grant application to formally test
      American War Veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq. Drs Gerbarg and Brown are collaborating with
      The Bay Pines Veterans Administration Medical Center in Florida to develop a study of this
      course for treatment of American veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. Elements of
      this method have been used on a variety of populations. Whilst this is a multi-component
      intervention, it is postulated that the most active ingredient in the program is a specific
      Yoga breathing technique called Sudarshan Kriya (SK).

      This program has been developed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, chief yoga teacher and Head of The
      Art of Living Foundation (Ravishankar 2002). Further, this method has been applied widely for
      the treatment of Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in individual cases
      (Gerbarg and Brown 2005Direct communication). For example, this controlled breathing program
      has been reported to have relieved posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in large groups of
      people affected by mass disasters such as war (Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq and Sudan) (Biswas 2004;
      Joseph 2004; Luedemann 2004), terrorism (New York City 9/11) (Anonymous 2001b), (Kashmir,
      India, Israel) and natural disasters (Gujurat earthquake, 2000) (Anonymous 2001a) Iran flood,
      Asian Tsunami. This controlled breathing program is reported to have also helped police
      (Slovenia, India, Washington, DC) and military personnel (Iraq) (cited in Gerbarg and Brown
      2004), (Gerbarg 2005Personal communication). Pilot studies conducted by the Principal
      Investigator using similar techniques showed positive health results for Vietnam Veterans
      with PTSD in Australia (Carter and Byrne 2004). However, although randomized clinical trials
      have been performed for depression with good effect
    

Intervention name(s): Sudarshan KRIYA Breathing Technique
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Single
Primary purpose: Educational/Counseling/Training