The Impact of Mindfulness Meditation Programs on Performance-Related Outcomes: Implications for the U.S. Army.

Although studies have suggested that mindfulness-based interventions might be effective in enhancing military readiness and resilience, this has not been rigorously evaluated. This study presents results from a systematic review and meta-analyses of research examining how mindfulness meditation affects 13 performance-related outcomes of interest to the U.S. Army and broader military. The authors supplemented the systematic review by examining how mindfulness meditation could support stress management and exploring characteristics of selected mindfulness programs. The goal was to develop recommendations for mindfulness meditation programs for soldiers, should the Army choose to implement such programs in the future. Findings suggest that mindfulness may improve some aspects of attention and emotion regulation, impulsivity, and work-related morale and social support. The available evidence does not suggest that mindfulness improves other outcomes of interest to the Army. Notably, mindfulness meditation programs reduce stress and may reduce parental stress, which could benefit Army families. Yet more research is needed to identify best practices for implementing mindfulness programs in the military. The authors recommend conducting high-quality evaluations of mindfulness meditation with soldiers and assessing the effect of mindfulness meditation on military families.

Training addiction counselors to implement CBT for depression.

Many clients in publicly funded substance abuse treatment programs suffer from depression yet lack access to effective mental health treatment. This study sought to examine whether addiction counselors could be effectively trained to deliver group CBT for depression and to ascertain client perceptions of the treatment. Five counselors were trained in the therapy and treated 113 clients with depression symptoms. Counselors demonstrated high fidelity to the therapy and client perceptions of the therapy were positive. Our results suggest that training addiction counselors to deliver group CBT for depression is a promising integrated treatment approach for co-occurring depression and substance disorders.

Developing an integrated treatment for substance use and depression using cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Providing a unified treatment approach to meet the substance abuse and mental health needs of clients is the preferred model for addressing co-occurring disorders. We developed a group-based cognitive-behavioral (CBT) integrated treatment for depression and substance use disorders (SUD) that could be delivered by counselors in SUD treatment settings and evaluated its feasibility and acceptability. We conducted an in-depth case study examining one implementation of the treatment using 15 focus groups with clients (n = 7) and semistructured interviews with counselors (n = 2) and administrators (n = 3). Using CBT as a treatment approach to integrate the treatment was widely accepted by clients, counselors, and administrators. Clients stated the treatment was applicable to multiple aspects of their lives and allowed them to recognize their clinical improvements over time. Counselors and administrators discussed challenges for long-term feasibility. Key decisions used to develop the treatment and recommendations for implementing integrated care in SUD settings are discussed.