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The Impact of Mindfulness Training on Police Officer Stress, Mental Health, and Salivary Cortisol Levels.

ABSTRACT: Unaddressed occupational stress and trauma contribute to elevated rates of mental illness and suicide in policing, and to violent and aggressive behavior that disproportionately impacts communities of color. Emerging evidence suggests mindfulness training with police may reduce stress and aggression and improve mental health, but there is limited evidence for changes in biological outcomes or the lasting benefits of mindfulness training. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 114 police officers from three Midwestern U.S. law enforcement agencies. We assessed stress-related physical and mental health symptoms, blood-based inflammatory markers, and hair and salivary cortisol. Participants were then randomized to an 8-week mindfulness intervention or waitlist control (WLC), and the same assessments were repeated post-intervention and at 3-month follow-up. Relative to waitlist control, the mindfulness group had greater improvements in psychological distress, mental health symptoms, and sleep quality post-training, gains that were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Intervention participants also had a significantly lower cortisol awakening response (CAR) at 3-month follow-up relative to waitlist control. Contrary to hypotheses, there were no intervention effects on hair cortisol, diurnal cortisol slope, or inflammatory markers. In summary, an 8-week mindfulness intervention for police officers led to self-reported improvements in distress, mental health, and sleep, and a lower CAR. These benefits persisted (or emerged) at 3-month follow-up, suggesting that this training may buffer against the long-term consequences of chronic stress. Future research should assess the persistence of these benefits over a longer period while expanding the scope of outcomes to consider the broader community of mindfulness training for police. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov#NCT03488875.

SUBMITTER: Grupe DW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8448191 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:IntroductionBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is essential for brain physiological processes influencing memory and learning. BDNF levels can be affected by many factors, including stress. Stress increase serum and salivary cortisol levels. Academic stress is of the chronic type. BDNF levels can be measure from serum, plasma or platelets, and there is still no standard methodology, which is relevant to ensure reproducibility and comparability between studies.Hypothesis(i) BDNF concentrations in serum show greater variability than in plasma. (ii) In college students with academic stress, peripheral BDNF decreases and salivary cortisol increases.General objectiveTo standardize plasma and serum collection for BDNF levels and to determine whether academic stress affects peripheral BDNF and salivary cortisol levels.DesignQuantitative research, with a non-experimental cross-sectional descriptive design.ParticipantsStudent volunteers. Under convenience sampling, 20 individuals will be included for standardization of plasma and serum collection and between 70 and 80 individuals to determine the effect of academic stress on BDNF and salivary cortisol.Peripheral blood and salivary cortisol sampling, measurements12 mL of peripheral blood (with and without anticoagulant) will be drawn per participant, separated from plasma or serum and cryopreserved at -80°C. Additionally, they will be instructed in the collection of 1 mL of saliva samples, which will be centrifuged. Val66Met polymorphism will be performed by allele-specific PCR, while BDNF and salivary cortisol levels will be determined by ELISA.Statistical analysis(i) descriptive analysis of the variables, through measures of central tendency and dispersion, and the categorical variables through their frequency and percentage. (ii) Then a bivariate analysis will be performed comparing groups using each variable separately.Expected resultsWe expect to (i) determine the analytical factors that allow a better reproducibility in the measurement of peripheral BDNF, and (ii) the effect of academic stress on BDNF and salivary cortisol levels.

Project description:BackgroundWomen veterans experience higher levels of stress-related symptoms than their civilian counterparts. Psychological stress is associated with greater inflammation and may increase risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been found to improve psychological well-being in other populations but no randomized controlled trials (RCT) have been conducted examining the impact of MBSR on well-being and inflammation in women veterans at risk for CVD.ObjectiveDetermine the effectiveness of MBSR in improving psychological well-being, cortisol, and inflammation associated with CVD in women veterans.DesignThe design is a RCT comparing MBSR to an active control condition (ACC) consisting of a health education program.ParticipantsWomen veterans (N=164) with risk factors for CVD from the Chicagoland area participated in the study.InterventionAn 8-week MBSR program with weekly 2.5-h classes was compared to an ACC consisting of an 8-week health promotion education program with weekly 2.5-h classes.Main measuresThe outcomes were psychological well-being [perceived stress, depressive symptoms, loneliness, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)] symptoms and stress-related markers, including diurnal salivary cortisol and cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Data were collected at baseline, 4 weeks (mid-point of intervention), 8 weeks (completion of intervention), and 6 months after completion of MBSR or ACC.Key resultsCompared to the ACC, women who participated in MBSR reported less perceived stress, loneliness, and symptoms of PTSD. Although there were no significant differences between groups or changes over time in IL-6 or IFN-γ, participants in the MBSR program demonstrated a more rapid decline in diurnal salivary cortisol as compared to those in the ACC.ConclusionsMBSR was found to improve psychological well-being and decrease diurnal salivary cortisol in women veterans at risk for CVD. Health care providers may consider MBSR for women veterans as a means by which to improve their psychological well-being.

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The Impact of Mindfulness Training on Police Officer Stress, Mental Health, and Salivary Cortisol Levels.

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