AusAsian Mental Health Research Group Our Projects MBSR for Improving Veteran Mental Health in NQ
A Pilot Study Into the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Improving Veteran Mental Health in North Queensland
- Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders in Marine Science
- Courses
- Future Students
- Current Students
- Research and Teaching
- Partners and Community
- About JCU
- Reputation and Experience
- Celebrating 50 Years
- Academy
- Anthropological Laboratory for Tropical Audiovisual Research (ALTAR)
- Anton Breinl Research Centre
- Agriculture Technology and Adoption Centre (AgTAC)
- Living on Campus
- How to apply
- Advanced Analytical Centre
- Alumni
- AMHHEC
- JCU Aquaculture Solutions
- AusAsian Mental Health Research Group
- ARCSTA
- Area 61
- Association of Australian University Secretaries
- Australian Lions Stinger Research
- Australian Tropical Herbarium
- Australian Quantum & Classical Transport Physics Group
- Boating and Diving
- JCU-CSIRO Partnership
- Employability Edge
- Career Ready Plan
- Careers at JCU
- Careers and Employability
- Chancellery
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology
- CITBA
- CMT
- CASE
- College of Business, Law and Governance
- College of Healthcare Sciences
- College of Medicine and Dentistry
- College of Science and Engineering
- CPHMVS
- Centre for Disaster Solutions
- CSTFA
- Cyber Security Hub
- Cyclone Testing Station
- The Centre for Disaster Studies
- Daintree Rainforest Observatory
- Discover Nature at JCU
- Research Division
- Services and Resources Division
- Education Division
- Elite Athletes
- eResearch
- Environmental Research Complex [ERC]
- Estate
- Fletcherview
- Foundation for Australian Literary Studies
- Gender Equity Action and Research
- General Practice and Rural Medicine
- JC 'U' Orientation
- Give to JCU
- Governance
- Information for JCU Cairns Graduates
- Art of Academic Writing
- Art of Academic Editing
- Graduate Research School
- Graduation
- Indigenous Education and Research Centre
- Indigenous Engagement
- Indigenous Legal Needs Project
- Inherent Requirements
- IsoTropics Geochemistry Lab
- IT Services
- International Schools
- International Students
- Research and Innovation Services
- JCU Eduquarium
- JCU Events
- JCU Global Experience
- JCU Ideas Lab
- JCU Job Ready
- JCU Motorsports
- JCU Prizes
- JCU Sport
- JCU Turtle Health Research
- Language and Culture Research Centre
- CEE
- LearnJCU
- Library
- Mabo Decision: 30 years on
- MARF
- Marine Geophysics Laboratory
- New students
- Off-Campus Students
- Office of the Vice Chancellor and President
- Virtual Open Day
- Orpheus
- Outstanding Alumni
- Parents and Partners
- Pathways to university
- Planning for your future
- Placements
- Policy
- PAHL
- Publications
- Professional Experience Placement
- Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease
- Rapid Assessment Unit
- RDIM
- Researcher Development Portal
- Safety and Wellbeing
- Scholarships
- Contextual Science for Tropical Coastal Ecosystems
- Staff
- State of the Tropics
- Strategic Procurement
- Student Equity and Wellbeing
- Student profiles
- SWIRLnet
- TARL
- TESS
- TREAD
- TropEco for Staff and Students
- TQ Maths Hub
- TUDLab
- Unicare Centre and Unicampus Kids
- UAV
- VAVS Home
- Work Health and Safety
- WHOCC for Vector-borne & NTDs
- Media
- Copyright and Terms of Use
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
- Clinical Psychedelic Research Lab
Funded by Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre 2021 Micro-Funding Application (Ref: MF0000821) and the Townsville Hospital and Health Service Study, Education and Research Trust Account (SERTA) Fund (Ref: 2021-04REG)
Our Team
- Associate Professor Wendy Li (Lead Chief Investigator)
- Associate Professor Satish Karunakaran (CI)
- Dr Timothy Leow (CI, Townsville University Hospital)
- Dr Sarah Beaney (CI,Townsville Private Clinic)
- Dr Alan Nelson (CI, Rosslea Medical Centre)
- Dr Daniel Miller (CI)
The Project
This study aims to investigate whether MBSR is efficacious for North Queensland veterans. Research indicates that nearly 50% of Australian Defence Force (ADF) veterans meet diagnostic criteria for a mental disorder, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. Prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy are the most well-studied forms of psychotherapy, which have demonstrated effectiveness for many veterans with PTSD, anxiety and depression. However, about 30-60% patients do not respond well to these treatments, indicating a need for research into alternative treatments for veterans with mental disorders, such as MBSR.
As a clinical standardized 8-week group intervention, MBSR has been employed as a safe and effective treatment for veteran mental health in the past decade; but is predominately USA-based. To the researchers’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt in Australia to evaluate the effectiveness of MBSR with veteran populations. The clinicians in the research team also report that there are limited group interventions for veterans in Townsville, and that existing group interventions are typically conducted in an informal way. The project will help Townsville clinicians and service providers improve service delivery by integrating standardized MBSR into veteran mental health services.