Intervention effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction training on post-traumatic stress disorder in traffic accident survivors

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in survivors of traffic accidents. Methods A total of 52 PTSD patients caused by traffic accidents admitted to Chongqing Mental Health Center from January 2018 to June 2019 were subjected in this study with convenient sampling. Then they were randomly divided into control group and intervention group (n=26). The patients of the former group were given decompression group psychotherapy, and those of the latter received MBSR training. Both the interventions were carried out for 3 consecutive cycles, with each time for 50 min, once a week, and 8 weeks as a cycle. Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Self-rating Scale (PTSD-SS) were used to evaluate the 2 groups of patients before intervention and after each cycle of intervention. Repeated reproduction of accident scene, avoidance symptoms, increased alertness symptoms, subjective assessment, and impairment of social function were compared before and after intervention and between the 2 groups. Results Before the intervention, there were no statistical differences in the score of every item and total scores of CAPS and PTSD-SS between the 2 groups (P>0.05). After the first cycle of intervention, the score of avoidance symptom dimensions of CAPS and those of subjective assessment and social impairment dimensions of PTSD-SS and total scores of the 2 scales were significantly lower in the intervention group than the control group (P < 0.05). After 2 and 3 cycles of intervention, similar trends were seen in the score of every dimension and total scores of CAPS and PTSD-SS (P < 0.05). Compared with the scores before the intervention, the score of each dimension and total scores of CAPS and PTSD-SS were in a gradually decreasing trend in the first, second and third cycles after the intervention in the intervention group (P < 0.05). Conclusion MBSR shows rapider effectiveness in improving the symptoms of PTSD patients than decompression group psychotherapy, with the efficacy stronger with the elapse of intervention time.

Keywords

• mindfulness-based stress reduction
• traffic accident survivor
• post-traumatic stress disorder