For a study, it was determined that Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating and chronic disorder that affects 7–8% of individuals in the United States. Even though various interventions have proven extremely beneficial in treating PTSD, many individuals still experience lingering symptoms and pursue various therapy options. Meditation and yoga, for instance, are complementary health therapies that have shown promise in treating PTSD symptoms. The effect size (ES) of yoga and meditation on PTSD outcomes in adult patients is assessed in the meta-analysis. Researchers examined whether the complementing approaches’ effects on PTSD outcomes were affected by the intervention type, PTSD outcome measure, research demographic, sample size, or controlled group. Researchers included 19 randomized controlled trials totaling 1,173 participants in the study. In the small and medium-sized range, a random-effects model revealed a statistically significant ES (ES=0.39, P<0.001, 95% CI [-0.57,-0.22]). There were no significant differences among intervention types, study populations, outcome measures, or control conditions. However, there was a slightly greater ES for sample sizes of more than or equal to 30 (ES=-0.78, k=5). Researchers implied that meditation and yoga are viable complementary approaches for treating PTSD in adults and that more research is required. Complementary health techniques which aren’t trauma-focused had several advantages that make them more feasible to apply. They are typically provided in a group environment and urge participants to participate actively. Qualified instructors can also deliver these methods with no need for a doctorate.
Link:www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272735816304585
