Mindfulness in the Dutch Military Train Your Brain

Abstract

Mindfulness training (MT) programs are, apart from curative MT programs (e.g., PTSD treatment), not yet widely offered in the military. However, military (wo)men, who are often exposed to extremely stressful situations, might benefit from the “preventive” effects of MT (e.g., stress-reduction, enhanced wellbeing, increased military resilience and situational awareness). In order to meet busy military operational schedules, the current research investigates the potential effects of an economic, low-dose, self-training mindfulness intervention (i.e., 10-day Mindfitness training) in a Dutch military sample (N = 173) that was subdivided into an intervention- and a waitlist-control group. By using a pre-/post-test design, the effects of our MT on mindfulness, stress, wellbeing, working memory capacity, and situational awareness were explored. Concluding from a multivariate analysis of covariance, the intervention had a negative effect on stress, and a positive effect on mindfulness, wellbeing and (self-rated) situational awareness. These results indicate the need to further explore the potential benefits of implementing (both extensive and low-dose) MT programs in other domains.