Loving‐Kindness Meditation for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study
Journal of Traumatic Stress July 25, 2013 David J. Kearney, Carol A. Malte, Carolyn Mcmanus et al. 232 citations
An open pilot trial of loving-kindness meditation for veterans with PTSD found that the practice was safe, acceptable, and associated with reduced symptoms. After a 12-week course, self-compassion increased with large effect sizes, and mindfulness increased with medium to large effect sizes. At 3-month follow-up, PTSD symptoms showed a large reduction (d = -0.89) and depression a medium reduction (d = -0.49). Enhanced self-compassion appeared to mediate these symptom reductions. Attendance was high, with 74% attending 9-12 classes. Further controlled study is needed to confirm whether the changes are due to the meditation itself rather than other influences.