Date of Paper
5-2015
Type of Paper
Clinical research paper
Degree Name
Master of Social Work (M.S.W.)
Department
Social Work
First Advisor
David J. Roseborough, Ph.D., LICSW
Department/School
Social Work
Abstract
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has become a widely recognized and accepted mental health concern affecting many individuals. Various treatment approaches are used to alleviate the symptomology of this mental health condition including: different therapeutic approaches, psychotropic medication, and mindfulness. The purpose of this research project was to analyze and distill existing research pertaining to the neurological implications of trauma and mindfulness, with emphasis on how the latter is an effective treatment approach for the former. Data were analyzed in three phases: one, PTSD and Mindfulness; two, Mindfulness and the Brain and; three, Mindfulness and its Impact on the Brain for adults with PTSD. Findings show how that trauma not only impacts the three regions of the brain (hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain), but a person’s body as a whole. Findings suggest that mindfulness may positively counteract the effects of PTSD due to activating and influencing different areas of the brain, which have been deregulated after encountering trauma, with particular impact upon the structure and function of the brain.
Recommended Citation
Hauck, Johanna L.. (2015). Mindfulness as a Treatment Component for Adults Suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/msw_papers/463