The Journal of clinical psychiatry
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for generalized anxiety disorder: effects on anxiety and stress reactivity.
Mindfulness meditation has met increasing interest as a therapeutic strategy for anxiety disorders, but prior studies have been limited by methodological concerns, including a lack of an active comparison group. This is the first randomized, controlled trial comparing the manualized Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program with an active control for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a disorder characterized by chronic worry and physiologic hyperarousal symptoms. ⋯ These results suggest that MBSR may have a beneficial effect on anxiety symptoms in GAD and may also improve stress reactivity and coping as measured in a laboratory stress challenge.
-
To examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) in bereaved youth and nonbereaved controls 5 years after a parent's death. The study was conducted from August 9, 2002, through December 31, 2013. ⋯ Bereaved youth were more likely to be obese than nonbereaved youth 5 years after parental death, and caregiver history of depression was associated with increased risk for obesity in nonbereaved youth only. Future studies are necessary to identify mechanisms that increase risk for obesity in parentally bereaved youth.
-
Little is known about the role of parental bereavement regarding alcohol and substance abuse. Our aim was to examine whether the incidence of alcohol and substance abuse is higher in parentally bereaved youth and, if so, what might explain this increased incidence. ⋯ Bereaved youth are at greater risk for ASAD than their nonbereaved counterparts, especially adolescent boys with disruptive behavior disorders. The effect of bereavement was explained by its overall impact on greater functional impairment in bereaved offspring. Interventions that help to improve offspring functioning and that prevent or attenuate the development of disruptive behavior disorders have the potential to prevent ASAD in bereaved youth.