Find your rhythm and regulate: Breath-synced vibration feedback during breath-focused mindfulness reduces respiration variability in trauma-exposed adults.
Timothy J Mcdermott, Greg J Siegle, Alfonsina Guelfo, Kayla Huynh, Maya C Karkare, Rebecca Krawczak, Amanda Johnston, Aziz Elbasheir, Travis M Fulton, Jacob Semerod, Divya Jagadeesh, Emma C Lathan, Robert T Krafty, Negar Fani
Journal of Anxiety Disorders June 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2025.103008 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 128 |
| Population | Trauma-exposed adults with elevated dissociation |
| Interventions | Vibration-augmented breath-focused mindfulness Breath-focus only Vibration only Open awareness |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Autonomic Dissociation Physiology Regulation |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Vibration-augmented breath-focused mindfulness decreased respiration variability across visits, while other interventions increased it. |
Abstract
Stress and anxiety are associated with increased autonomic arousal, including altered respiration. Breath-focused mindfulness meditation can reduce stress and anxiety, but trauma-exposed adults with dissociation have difficulty engaging in this practice. Our ongoing clinical trial examines if vibration-augmented breath-focused mindfulness (VABF) can improve outcomes and increase engagement. Here, we tested if VABF reduces respiration rate (RR) or respiration variability (RV), and examined associations between RR, RV, and emotion ratings. 128 trauma-exposed adults (mean age = 30.21 years) with elevated dissociation volunteered and completed at least 50 % of intervention visits. Participants were randomized to one of four mindfulness meditation interventions: VABF (n = 34); breath-focus only (n = 33); vibration only (n = 34); open awareness (no vibration or breath-focus, n = 27). Results from linear mixed-effects models showed that VABF decreased RV across visits while all the other interventions showed increased RV across visits (p = .008; ηp2 = .014), and RV was positively associated with both anxiety and anger ratings (ps .125). Findings suggest RV is a meaningful metric for examining regulatory processes in clinical populations with elevated autonomic arousal and negative emotionality. They also show that RV is modifiable through VABF, which holds significant promise as an intervention to improve regulatory processes in trauma-exposed populations.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Ventral striatum temporal interference brain stimulation enhances the reward-positivity event-related potential and reduces anxiety. Neuroimage July 1, 2026
- Ventral striatum temporal interference brain stimulation enhances the reward positivity event-related potential and reduces anxiety. Research Square February 9, 2026
Cites 7
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- Slower respiration rate is associated with higher self-reported well-being after wellness training Scientific Reports September 24, 2023
- Neurophysiological changes associated with vibroacoustically-augmented breath-focused mindfulness for dissociation: targeting interoception and attention Psychological Medicine May 5, 2023
- Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Scientific Reports January 9, 2023
- Breath Rate Variability: A Novel Measure to Study the Meditation Effects International Journal of Yoga 2019
and 2 more in the library