Mantram Repetition Program for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Use Disorders: Preliminary Evidence of Efficacy

The mantram repetition program (MRP) is an accessible mindfulness-based intervention involving meditation practice, aimed at slowing down thoughts and developing one-pointed attention. The MRP was modified for a population with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD). This cohort study aimed to evaluate the preliminary evidence of MRP’s efficacy in changing PTSD symptoms, substance use, mood symptoms, and perceived stress over 8 weeks compared to baseline in noncomparative groups of individuals with PTSD and SUD.

This longitudinal study involved an 8-week intervention with a follow-up at week 12. Sixty-six individuals with PTSD and SUD participated in weekly virtual MRP sessions over 8 weeks in small groups. A multilevel model was used to assess the mean PTSD and SUD outcomes at different time points (baseline, Week 8, and Week 12).

There was a significant decrease in PTSD severity as measured by the self-reported Posttraumatic Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) scale (p < 0.01) and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) (p < 0.01) at Week 8 and Week 12 compared to baseline (Week 0). There was also a significant decrease in substance cravings (p < 0.01) and frequency of problematic substance use (p = 0.04) at Week 8 and Week 12.

The preliminary effectiveness of the MRP in individuals with PTSD and SUD suggests that its potential applications extend to various demographic and clinical categories and via virtual platforms. The MRP should be explored in comparison to other therapies to further evaluate its effectiveness.

This study was preregistered on clinicaltrial.gov with registration number NCT05058963.