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The impact of a brief mindfulness training on interoception: A randomized controlled trial.

PloS one
January 1, 2022
Geissy Lainny de Lima-Araujo et al. (7 authors)
Journal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to determine the effects of a brief mindfulness training on interoceptive accuracy, sensibility, and anxiety in healthy adults.

Results Summary

The brief mindfulness training improved interoceptive sensibility (five out of eight subdomains) and mediated changes in anxiety state, but did not significantly affect interoceptive accuracy.

Population

Young healthy adults naive to mindfulness practices (n = 40, 50% female).

Effective Dosage

Not specified (brief mindfulness training over 3 days).

Duration

3 days

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (6)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
mindfulness meditation practices
increase
interoceptive processes
-
-
showing an increase
#1
a three-day mindfulness training
increase
interoceptive sensibility
young healthy adult sample
-
increased
#2
active control
no change
interoceptive sensibility
young healthy adult sample
-
had no effects
#3
mindfulness training
increase
Five out of eight subdomains of interoceptive sensibility
young healthy adult sample
Five out of eight
significantly improved
#4
mindfulness training
no change
interoceptive accuracy
young healthy adult sample
-
no significant difference
#5
a brief mindfulness training
decrease
anxiety state
young healthy adult sample
-
mediated changes
#6
Abstract

Interoception is a collection of different representations of signals originating within the body. The way of perceiving these signals seems to be related to both emotion regulation and dysregulation, and its dysfunction is implicated across a variety of affective disorders. There is a growing body of research investigating the relationship between mindfulness meditation practices and interoception showing an increase in interoceptive processes with regular training. In this study, we assessed the effects of a three-day mindfulness training on interoceptive accuracy and sensibility in a young healthy adult sample. Moreover, we also performed a mediation analysis on interoceptive sensibility and anxiety. Healthy participants (n = 40) naive to mindfulness practices were randomized to a brief mindfulness training (MT) (n = 20, females = 10) or to an active control group (n = 20, females = 10). Participants were assessed before and after the 3-days intervention for both groups on measures of interoception and anxiety in a modified intention-to-treat approach. The brief mindfulness training group increased interoceptive sensibility while active control had no effects on this variable. Five out of eight subdomains of interoceptive sensibility were significantly improved after mindfulness training. There was no significant difference in interoceptive accuracy after training. The effect of a brief mindfulness training on interoceptive sensibility mediated changes in the anxiety state. To date, this is the first study showing a plausible mechanism of a brief mindfulness training to explain the anxiolytic effects of meditation practices. Trial registration: RBR-7b8yh8, March 28th 2017 http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-7b8yh8/.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AdultAnxietyFemaleHumansInteroceptionMeditationMindfulnessNegotiating
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality80/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations25
Citations/Year8.3
Relative Citation Ratio4.73
NIH Percentile92.4%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score2.82
Normalized Score0.66
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