Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Treating Anxiety in PTSD Patients

Abstract

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder is frequently accompanied by persistent anxiety, hyperarousal, sleep disturbance, and impaired emotional regulation. Mindfulness-based interventions may support trauma-exposed patients by improving present-moment awareness, distress tolerance, and regulation of intrusive thoughts and bodily arousal. Objective: This study evaluated whether an eight-week structured mindfulness-based intervention added to routine psychological support produced greater reductions in anxiety and PTSD symptoms than routine psychological support alone among veterans and civilian trauma survivors in Islamabad, Pakistan. Methods: This two-arm controlled clinical trial included 120 adults aged 18 to 60 years with PTSD symptoms of at least three months’ duration and moderate anxiety. Participants were allocated equally to mindfulness-based intervention plus routine psychological support or routine psychological support alone. The intervention included weekly 60–75-minute sessions over eight weeks, incorporating breathing exercises, body awareness, mindful sitting, grounding techniques, mindful movement, and home practice. Anxiety was assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, and PTSD symptoms were assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 at baseline, week 8, and week 12. Results: Follow-up completion was 93.3% in the mindfulness group and 90.0% in the control group. At week 12, GAD-7 scores decreased by 7.4 points in the mindfulness group compared with 2.8 points in the control group. PCL-5 scores decreased by 20.5 points versus 7.9 points, respectively. Week-12 between-group differences favoured mindfulness for both anxiety (-4.3 points) and PTSD symptoms (-11.9 points). Conclusion: Mindfulness-based intervention added to routine psychological support was associated with clinically meaningful short-term reductions in anxiety and PTSD symptoms among trauma-exposed adults in Islamabad.