Effects of hands-on mind-body therapy on posttraumatic stress disorder among Danish military veterans: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects many military veterans. Given limited success of and barriers to conventional treatments, increasing interest is being paid to mind-body therapy approaches. However, little evidence exists on whether these have the potential to treat traumatic stress. The aim of this study was to compare 6 months of hands-on mind-body therapy as an add-on to treatment as usual (TAU) with TAU alone. Participants with PTSD resulting from active military service were randomly assigned to the intervention group or treatment-as-usual (TAU) group. The intervention group received 24 hands-on manipulative mind-body therapy sessions during 6 months as add-on to TAU. The primary outcome was the PTSD Checklist-Military version (PCL-M) at 6 months (postintervention). Outcome measurements were obtained at four time points; baseline, 3 months (midway), 6 months (postintervention), and 12 months (follow-up). Intention-to-treat analysis was done masked to allocation. A total of 42 participants were randomized (22 control, 20 intervention). In the intervention group, two discontinued the mind-body therapy. At postintervention, participants who had received mind-body treatment demonstrated greater reduction in PTSD severity (PCL-M scores between-group mean difference: −11.1, 95% CI −17.9 to −4.2, p = 0.002, effect size d = 1.06). At follow-up, PCL-M scores were not statistically significant between groups (between-group difference: −4.65, 95% CI −11.8 to 1.50). Post hoc analysis showed that number of participants remitting from PTSD from baseline to follow-up was 25% in the intervention group and 0% in the control group. Our study showed that hands-on mind-body therapy over 6 months produced clinically significant decrease in PTSD symptoms. The large reduction in symptoms was not maintained 6 months after the intervention period. Further research on mind-body therapy as adjunctive PTSD treatment is warranted.