Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Center, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2013 Feb;38(2):294-9. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.05.019. Epub 2012 Jul 3.
Children exposed to early life adversity (ELA) have been shown to have elevated circulating concentrations of inflammatory markers that persist into adulthood. Increased inflammation in individuals with ELA is believed to drive the elevated risk for medical and psychiatric illness in the same individuals. This study sought to determine whether Cognitively Based Compassion Training (CBCT) reduced C-reactive protein (CRP) in adolescents in foster care with high rates of ELA, and to evaluate the relationship between CBCT engagement and changes in CRP given prior evidence from our group for an effect of practice on inflammatory markers. It was hypothesized that increasing engagement would be associated with reduced CRP from baseline to the 6-week assessment.
Seventy-one adolescents in the Georgia foster care system (31 females), aged 13-17, were randomized to either 6 weeks of CBCT or a wait-list condition. State records were used to obtain information about each participant's history of trauma and neglect, as well as reason for placement in foster care. Saliva was collected before and again after 6 weeks of CBCT or the wait-list condition. Participants in the CBCT group completed practice diaries as a means of assessing engagement with the CBCT.
No difference between groups was observed in salivary CRP concentrations. Within the CBCT group, practice sessions during the study correlated with reduced CRP from baseline to the 6-week assessment.
Engagement with CBCT may positively impact inflammatory measures relevant to health in adolescents at high risk for poor adult functioning as a result of significant ELA, including individuals placed in foster care. Longer term follow-up will be required to evaluate if these changes are maintained and translate into improved health outcomes.
研究表明，暴露于早期生活逆境（ELA）的儿童其循环炎症标志物浓度升高，并持续到成年期。人们认为，ELA 个体的炎症增加会增加其患医疗和精神疾病的风险。本研究旨在确定认知行为同情训练（CBCT）是否可以降低寄养中 ELA 发生率高的青少年的 C 反应蛋白（CRP），并评估 CBCT 参与度与 CRP 变化之间的关系，因为我们之前的研究结果表明，练习对炎症标志物有影响。研究假设，随着参与度的增加，从基线到 6 周评估时 CRP 会降低。
佐治亚州寄养系统中的 71 名青少年（31 名女性），年龄在 13-17 岁之间，随机分配到 CBCT 或候补名单组。州记录用于获取有关每个参与者的创伤和忽视史以及被安置在寄养中的原因的信息。在 CBCT 或候补名单组进行 6 周前和 6 周后采集唾液。CBCT 组的参与者完成练习日记，以评估对 CBCT 的参与度。
在唾液 CRP 浓度方面，两组之间没有差异。在 CBCT 组中，研究期间的练习次数与从基线到 6 周评估时 CRP 的降低相关。
与 CBCT 的互动可能会对高风险青少年的健康产生积极影响，这些青少年由于 ELA 而导致成年后功能不佳，包括被安置在寄养中的个体。需要进行更长期的随访，以评估这些变化是否持续并转化为改善的健康结果。
