Table 5.
Intervention and control component characteristics.
| Author (Year) | Number of trial arms | Baseline PTSD; reported measure | Intervention | Intervention duration | Frequency | Time | Control | Follow-up – post intervention | Outcome measure – pre and post intervention | Study results post-intervention Mean (SD), SMD (Cohen's d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosenbaum et al. (2015a,b) | 2 | DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of PTSD checklist – PCL-C | Resistance Exercise and a walking programme and exercise diary | 12 weeks | x1wk Sup x2 wk HEP and daily walking 10,000 steps | 30 mins | A combination of psychotherapy, pharmaceutical interventions, and group therapy facilitated by psychologists. | 12 weeks | PTSD symptoms assessed via the PTSD checklist–civilian version (PCL-C) | PTSD symptoms in (intervention v/s control group) - mean di?erence = −5.4, 95% CI (−10.5 to−0.3), p = 0.04 |
| Kim et al. (2013) | 3 | PTSD Checklist–Civilian version (PCL-C) scores of at least 28 | Stretching and deep breathing exercise (MBX) | 8 weeks | x2 weekly | 60 mins | Control group | 16 weeks | PTSD Checklist–Civilian version (PCL-C) scores of at least 28 | PCL-C symptom scores – MBX v/s control- mean difference = −13.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], (−25.6 to −1.6), p= 0.01 |
| Hall et al. (2020) | 2 | DSM-V diagnosis of PTSD checklist – PCL-5 | Individualized exercise sessions | 12 weeks | x3 weekly | 60–90 mins | Care provided at women's health, mental health, or geriatrics clinics. | 12 weeks | The PTSD checklist (PCL-5) | PCL-5 symptoms – Exercise v/s control – Mean difference=-4.23, 95% CI (−11.7 – 3.3); Cohen's d (0.38) |
| Whitworth et al. (2019a) | 2 | The PTSD checklist (PCL-5) | Resistance training | 3 weeks | x3 weekly | 30 mins | Nine 30-min sessions, involving videos on various educational topics excluding exercise and mental health | 3 weeks | Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale for DSM-5 checklist – PCL-5 | PCL5 symptoms scores – exercise v/s control = d = −0.87; 95% CI (0.03, 1.70) |
| Goldstein et al. (2018) | 2 | (DSM-IV; Criteria for current PTSD or partial PTSD. - CAPS |
Aerobic, resistance training and yoga | 12 weeks | x3 weekly | 60 mins | Waitlist control group, receiving same intervention after 12 weeks | 12 weeks | PTSD related symptoms- assessed via CAPS interview based on the DSM-IV | PTSD symptom severity v/s waitlist control - Mean = 14.77(SD +/−24.56); Cohen's d = −0.90 [95% CI: −1.72, −0.08] |
| Powers et al. (2015) | 2 | PTSD based on DSM-IV criteria- Clinical assessment - PSSI | Aerobic and exposure therapy session (PE+E) | 12 weeks | x1 weekly | 30 mins | Prolonged exposure therapy alone | 12 weeks | Clinician-rated assessment (PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview; PSSI | PE + E v/s PE- pre- and post-PSSI Means scores = 42.00 and 5.20. Cohen's d = 2.67 (large effect size between group) |
| Fetzner and Asmundson (2015) | 3 | PTSD checklist – PLC-C | [1] Attention to somatic arousal and aerobic exercise [2] Distraction from somatic arousal and aerobic exercise | 2 weeks | x3 per week 6 sessions-not more than 4 | 20 mins | Aerobic exercise with no distraction | 4 weeks | PCL-C scores | Effect sizes for PTSD – CD/IP groups v/s aerobic only- CD group = (Cohen's d = 1.18, large effect size) |
| Whitworth et al. (2019b) | 2 | Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale for DSM-5 (PDS5 | High intensity resistance training | 3 weeks | x3 per week | 30 mins | 30-min sessions, participants learned about various topics including nutrition, human anatomy, the universe) through videos and handouts | 3 weeks | PDS-5 scores | PDS5 scores- Intervention v/s control = No observed group di?erences for total PTSD symptoms – variance between group F(1,17) = 0.01, p = 0.91) |
| Johnson et al. (2018) | 2 | PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M). The PCL-M−17 DSM-IV symptoms of PTSD | Therapeutic horseback riding (THR) | 6 weeks | x1 per week | 40 mins | Waitlist control group | 6 weeks | PCL-M scores | THR v/s waitlist control, PCL-5 symptoms = Week 3, F(1,17) = 10.678, p = 0.005, Between week 3 and week = F(1,17) = 8.750, p = 0.009. |
| Gelkopf et al. (2013) | 2 | PTS measured by a modified 30-item Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ) | Nature adventure rehabilitation (NAR) | 12 months | x1 per week | 180 mins | Waitlist control | 12 months | PTS symptoms scores | NAR v/s waitlist control at 1 year follow-up – F = 4.44; p = 0.04 |
| van der Kolk et al. (2014) | 2 | Clinician administered PTSD scale using CAPS>45 scoring rules | Yoga | 10 weeks | x1 per week | 60 mins | Weekly women's health education | 5 and 10 weeks | PTSD scale using CAPS>45 scoring rules scores | Yoga v/s control-Cohen's d = 1.07 (large effect size between group) |
| Mitchell et al. (2014) | 2 | Presence of at least one symptoms in each DSM criteria cluster or meeting criteria for at least 2 symptoms clusters | Yoga | 12weeks or 6 week |
1x per week or x2 per week | 75 mins | Assessment control group | 12 weeks | PSS-I scores | Yoga group mean PSS-I score = −0.10 (p = 0.003); Control group = −0.09 (p = 0.02); Between-groups effect sizes were small to moderate (0.08–0.31) |
| Reinhardt et al. (2018) | 2 | DSM-IV TR | Yoga | 10 weeks | 2x per week | 90 mins | Assessment only control group | 10 weeks | PCL-M and PCL-C scores | Yoga group CAPS mean (SD) baseline: 70.3 (SD+/−18.5), past week mean SD: 58.2 (SD+/−26.5), Past months baseline: 73.3 (SD+/– 18.3); Past months: 69.2(SD+/−25.7) |
DSM, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder; PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; MBX, Mindfulness Based Exercise; CAPS, Clinician Administered PTSD Scale; PTS, Post Traumatic Stress; THR, Therapeutic Horseback Riding; PDS, Post Traumatic Diagnostic Scale; NAR, Nature Adventure Rehabilitation; SASRQ, Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire.