Posttraumatic stress disorder is a prevalent, chronic, and debilitating disorder characterized by a reduced capacity to adapt to stressors, marked by poor regulation in the following domains: emotion, attentional function, and physiological stress. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) holds promise for treating symptoms of trauma and PTSD as evidence suggests it targets these domains. The central hypothesis is that MBSR, which teaches non-judgmental awareness, can improve emotion regulation and attentional function, and diminish physiological stress dysregulation, which in turn will improve PTSD symptoms. We will examine changes in stress capacity and PTSD symptom severity among women survivors of intimate partner violence with PTSD after participation in an MBSR program.
