Relaxation Response Training for PTSD Prevention in US Military Personnel
- Conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Relaxation Response training
- Registration Number
- NCT01725854
- Lead Sponsor
- William Beaumont Army Medical Center
- Brief Summary
The purposes of this study are to evaluate the acceptability and utility of a mind-body intervention on a convenience sample of Soldiers (n=120) who have screened positive through RESPECT-MIL for symptoms that may lead to post-traumatic stress and to test the effectiveness of this Relaxation Response (RR) intervention designed to decrease the physiological and psychosocial effects of stress and trauma. The study aims to enhance the psychological health of Soldiers with a RR intervention designed to promote self-awareness of physiological responses to stress and the ability to increase relaxation responses.
- Detailed Description
Specific Aims:
1. Demonstrate that trainers can be trained effectively to deliver the intervention, a mind-body skills training program based on the Benson-Henry Institute's standard RR training curriculum and tailored to a military population.
2. Evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and compliance to the training program in an active duty military population.
3. Compare outcomes on sleep disturbance, PTSD, stress-related symptoms, quality of life, and psychosocial variables related to resilience of Soldiers who receive the 6-week training program to promote the Relaxation Response to those Soldiers who do not receive the intervention.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- TERMINATED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 8
- 18 years or older, male and female volunteer individual military Service Members, DoD civilians or approved contractors working for DoD, primarily from multidisciplinary healthcare providers.
- Willingness to participate in the research project.
- Committed to the entire period of time of the research project.
- Currently working or stationed at Ft Bliss, Texas.
- No impending orders for deployment/ TDY/ PCS/ ETS or retirement for at least 8 weeks from the day of study enrollment.
- Able to read and speak English.
- Capable to consent.
• Diagnosed with severe PTSD or other mental health issues disclosed as self-reported
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Relaxation Response Training Relaxation Response training The Military tailored RR training program will consist of six weekly small group sessions which involve group presentations, in-group skill building exercises, and at-home assignments. Groups will contain 5-8 participants who are active-duty Soldiers enrolled in either Respect-MIL or the Interdisciplinary Pain Management Center (IPMC).
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Sleep 6 weeks Sleep will be measured pre and post intervention. Sleep will be measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The PSQI assesses sleep quality and disturbances during the past month based on seven component scores for sleep quality, latency, duration, efficiency, disturbance, medication use, and daytime dysfunction that sum to a global score. A Sleep Diary will also be used to measure sleep and related factors.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Anger 6 Weeks Anger, measured with the Spielberger State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2)
Health Status 6 Weeks Health Status as measured with the Veterans RAND 12-item Health Survey Short Form (VR-12 or SF-12) and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy- Spiritual Well-Being 12 (Non-Illness)
Resilience 6 Weeks Resilience will be measured with the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory
Stress 6 Weeks Stress as measured with physiological measurements of blood pressure and heart rate (pulse) and subjective measurement using the Perceived Stress Scale
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Ft Bliss
🇺🇸El Paso, Texas, United States