Comparing mindfulness and psychoeducation treatments for combat-related PTSD using a telehealth approach.

This pilot study examined two telehealth interventions to address symptoms of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans. Thirty-three male combat veterans were randomly assigned to one of two telehealth treatment conditions: mindfulness or psychoeducation. In both conditions, participants completed 8 weeks of telehealth treatment (two sessions in person followed by six sessions over the telephone) and three assessments (pretreatment, posttreatment, and 6-week follow-up). The mindfulness treatment was based on the tenets of mindfulness-based stress reduction and the psychoeducation manual was based on commonly used psychoeducation materials for PTSD. Results for the 24 participants who completed all assessments indicate that: (1) Telehealth appears to be a feasible mode for delivery of PTSD treatment for veterans; (2) Veterans with PTSD are able to tolerate and report high satisfaction with a brief mindfulness intervention; (3) Participation in the mindfulness intervention is associated with a temporary reduction in PTSD symptoms; and (4) A brief mindfulness treatment may not be of adequate intensity to sustain effects on PTSD symptoms.