Although findings were positive, future studies are needed to evaluate the short- and long-term impact of mind-body therapies on larger samples of post-9/11 veterans and to address research questions related to broadening service member and veteran participation in these therapies.

Quantitative studies of yoga have reported reduced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in veterans, but little is known about how and why veterans are attracted to and stick with a yoga practice. Guided by the Health Belief Model, this study examined veterans' perceptions of the benefits, barriers, and motivations to continue practicing trauma-sensitive yoga. Interviews were conducted with nine individuals, five of whom completed a 6-week trauma-sensitive yoga intervention designed for veterans and four who did not complete the intervention. Transcripts were analyzed for themes. The benefits identified by veterans were finding mental stillness, body awareness, and social connection. The barriers were perceptions that yoga is socially unacceptable, especially for men, and physically unchallenging. Understanding these benefits and barriers can help to make yoga more attractive to service members and veterans. For example, medical personnel can refer service members and veterans to yoga not only for PTSD symptoms, but also to address back pain and to reduce isolation. Access to male yoga instructors, especially those who are themselves service members or veterans, could be expanded, and classes could be integrated into physical activity routines required of active-duty personnel. Promotional materials can feature male service members and veterans with captions related to yoga as a way to increase resiliency, self-sufficiency, and physical and mental mission readiness. Findings from this study can help the Department of Defense and the Veterans Health Administration implement yoga as an adjunct or alternative treatment for veterans with PTSD symptoms.

Introduction: Among veterans of post-9/11 conflicts, estimates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) range from 9% shortly after returning from deployment to 31% a year after deployment. Clinical and pharmaceutically based treatments are underutilized. This could be due to concerns related to lost duty days, as well as PTSD patients’ fears of stigma of having a mental health condition. Yoga has been shown to reduce PTSD symptoms in the civilian population, but few studies have tested the impact of yoga on veterans of post-9/11 conflicts. The purpose of this study is to test the impact of yoga on post-9/11 veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Materials and Methods: Participants were 18 yr of age or older and veterans of post-9/11 conflicts. They had subthreshold or diagnostic-level PTSD related to their combat military service, as determined by a score of 30 or higher on the PTSD Checklist-Military version (PCL-M). Veterans participated in 60-min weekly yoga sessions for 6 wk taught by a Warriors at Ease-trained yoga instructor who is a, post-9/11 veteran. The yoga sessions incorporated Vinyasa-style yoga and a trauma-sensitive, military-culture informed approach advocated by two separate organizations: Warriors at Ease and Meghan’s Foundation. Data were collected at baseline and again after 7 wk. The primary outcome was PCL-M score. Participants also completed the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale at both time points. Results: Eighteen Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn veterans completed the pre- and post-intervention self-report questionnaires. Age ranged from 26 to 62 yr (median = 43 yr), length of service ranged from 2 to 34 yr (median = 18.8 yr), and 13 (72.2%) had completed college. Decreased PTSD symptomatology was demonstrated in the three-symptom clusters represented in the PCL-M (i.e., hyperarousal, re-experiencing, and avoidance). In addition, the total score on the PCL-M decreased significantly, by both statistical and clinical measures. The participants also demonstrated improved mindfulness scores and reported decreased insomnia, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a trauma-sensitive yoga intervention may be effective for veterans with PTSD symptoms, whether as stand-alone or adjunctive therapy. The impressive decrease in PTSD symptomatology may be due to the tailored military-specific nature of this intervention and the fact that it was led by a veteran of post-9/11 conflicts. More research is needed with a larger sample and a more diverse veteran population.