Mindful nonreactivity moderates the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder and depression

J Loss Trauma. 2022;27(7):593-607. doi: 10.1080/15325024.2022.2030019. Epub 2022 Jan 31.

Abstract

PTSD and depression represent major individual and societal burdens. Depression is commonly comorbid with PTSD among veterans, although buffers of this relationship are unclear. We evaluated whether facets of mindfulness moderated the relationship between PTSD and depression in veterans with PTSD (N = 70). Three facets - nonjudging, acting with awareness, and nonreactivity - were assessed as moderators. Results indicated nonreactivity significantly attenuated the relationship between PTSD and depression (p=.013), such that veterans with high nonreactivity (+1 SD) showed a nonsignificant relationship between PTSD and depression, whereas veterans with average (Mean; p<.001) and low (-1 SD; p<.001) nonreactivity exhibited a significant relationship.

Keywords: mindfulness; posttraumatic stress disorder; veterans.