Mindfulness-based Therapeutic Sailing for Veterans With Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Complementary Medicine

Background:

• Veterans with psychiatric or substance use disorders (SUDs) may benefit from complementary interventions.
• Mindfulness-Based Therapeutic Sailing (MBTS) is a novel intervention combining sailing and mindfulness training.
• This study investigated a modified MBTS intervention in a veteran population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of MBTS as a complementary intervention for veterans with psychiatric disorders or SUDs.
• To assess changes in psychological flexibility and mindfulness.
• To examine the intervention's impact on healthcare utilization and treatment engagement.

Main Methods:

• A study of 25 veterans participating in MBTS, compared to a matched control group.
• Utilized Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II (AAQII), Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS), and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ).
• Assessed pre- to post-intervention psychological changes and 1-year pre- to post-intervention healthcare utilization data.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in psychological flexibility (AAQII) and state mindfulness (TMS) were observed.
• Participants reported high enjoyment of the MBTS intervention (PACES).
• A trend towards reduced substance abuse treatment visits was noted, though not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• MBTS is associated with increased psychological flexibility and state mindfulness in veterans.
• The intervention is enjoyable and may reduce substance use treatment service utilization.
• MBTS shows promise as a complementary approach for improving treatment engagement and outcomes in veterans, warranting further randomized controlled trials.