A Prospective Investigation of Mindfulness Skills and Changes in Emotion Regulation Among Military Veterans in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment

• Published in: Mindfulness Vol. 4; no. 4; pp. 311 - 317
• Main Authors: Reber, Cecily A. S., Boden, Matthew Tyler, Mitragotri, Neha, Alvarez, Jennifer, Gross, James J., Bonn-Miller, Marcel O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.12.2013; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavior modification; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Emotional regulation; Emotions; Hypotheses; Investigations; Mindfulness; Original Paper; Pediatrics; Post traumatic stress disorder; Psychology; Public Health; Questionnaires; Skills; Social Sciences; United States > US; Kentucky; Acceptance; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Mindfulness; Emotion regulation
• ISSN: 1868-8527; 1868-8535
• DOI: 10.1007/s12671-012-0131-4

We prospectively investigated associations between mindfulness and changes in the use of expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal occurring during a residential treatment program for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The sample consisted of 50 male veterans who were assessed with the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills at treatment intake, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and PTSD Checklist—Military Version at treatment intake and discharge. Hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that greater nonjudgmental acceptance at intake predicted greater reductions in expressive suppression ( p  < .05) and less improvement in cognitive reappraisal ( p  < .05) between treatment intake and discharge. Additionally, greater ability to observe thoughts, emotions, and sensations at intake was associated with less improvement in cognitive reappraisal between treatment intake and discharge ( p  < .05). Findings remained significant after statistically adjusting for treatment-related changes in PTSD symptoms.