Researchers:

Yoshi Nakamura, Ph.D.,
University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah

Derrik Tollefson, Ph.D.,
Utah State University, Vernal, Utah

David Lipschitz, Ph.D.,
University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah

Shao-Hsuan Ho, Ph.D.,
University of Michigan Dept. of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, Michigan

 

Projects:

Mind-Body Bridging for Domestic Violence Perpetrators
Findings document high compliance and low recidivism rate of MBB in state run program. Recidivism rate at 5 years follow-up, on over 150 patients, are reduced from the national average of 50% to 7%.  The findings through the first 27 months are published in the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma; 2009; 18:17-45.  A Mind-Body Approach to Domestic Violence Perpetrator Treatment: Program Overview and Preliminary Outcome(Tollefson, Webb, Shumway, Block, Nakamura).  Copies are available upon request.

Mind-Body Bridging for Domestic Violence Perpetrators – RCT
Research involving 100 patients in Salt Lake City is ongoing.  Preliminary findings with half of the study completed, shows higher compliance in the MBB group versus TAU (treatment as usual) group.

Mind-Body Bridging for Sleep – RCT
This research was conducted in a primary care medical clinic and consisted of 63 veterans with sleep problems.  In 2 sessions, sleep and PTSD symptoms significantly improved in MBB vs. control.  The findings of this completed study have been documented in the article Two Sessions of Sleep-Focused Mind-Body Bridging Improve Self-Reported Symptoms of Sleep and PTSD in Veterans: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial (Nakamura, Lipschitz, Landward, Kuhn, West), published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research April, 2011 VOl. 70(4):335-45.

Mind-Body Bridging for Sleep – RCT
This completed research, was conducted with 60 cancer patients with sleep problems.  Preliminary outcomes show marked improvement in sleep, depression and stress symptoms in MBB group vs. control groups (Mindfulness Meditation and Sleep Hygiene/ Education).  The MBB group continued to improve two months after the last session compared to the control group.  Self reported scales and biomarkers are continuing to be evaluated.  Two articles are being prepared for submission to professional journals.

Mind-Body Bridging for PTSD Patients – RCT
Research is being developed to show the effectiveness of 10 weeks of Mind-Body Bridging treatment groups using TAU (treatment as usual) as a control.  This research is scheduled to begin during the later part of 2010.

Mind-Body Bridging for PTSD Patients – RCT
Research is designed to show the effectiveness of 10 weeks of self-study using Mind-Body Workbook for PTSD: A 10 Week Program for Healing After Trauma with the best currently available PTSD manual as a control.  This research is scheduled to begin during the later part of 2010.

Mind-Body Bridging for Resiliency and Prevention of PTSD – RCT
Research is being developed to demonstrate how a MBB program can enhance resiliency and reduce the incidences of PTSD in service personnel receiving MBB before deployment vs. other modalities.

Mind-Body Bridging for Alcohol and Substance Abuse
This study is being developed to show the effectiveness of MBB in preventing    relapses.

Mind-Body Bridging for Autism
Two research studies are being developed to demonstrate the effectiveness of MBB in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Mind-Body Bridging for Quality of Life
Analysis of quality assurance data for 181 patients treated with MBB is completed.  Quality of life dramatically improved in various aspects on a self-reported Quality of Life Scale.  An article is being prepared for submission to a professional journal.

The Relationship of the Identity System and the Default Mode Network
Research is being developed based upon the abstract of a paper given at Toward a Science Consciousness 2009, in Hong Kong,A Brain Basis for Transforming Consciousness with Mind-Body Bridging (Stanley Block, Shao-Hsuan Ho, Yoshi Nakamura).  This published abstract is available upon request.

Links to clinical trials:

A Randomized Clinical Study of a Mind-Body Approach
to Domestic Violence Offender Treatment
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00983593

Pilot Study on Sleep Management for US Veterans
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00933959

Follow-up of a Study Examining Sleep Management
in United States Veterans
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00935337

Sleep Management in Cancer Survivors
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00935376