Mindfulness and Objective Measures of Body Awareness: A Preregistered Systematic Review and Multilevel Meta-Analysis.
Katrin Schwartz, Fabienne Marie Ganster, Martin Voracek, Ulrich S. Tran
Biopsychosocial science and medicine May 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000001381 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Cross-sectional Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2,411 |
| Population | Participants from randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, and cross-sectional studies |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Body awareness Interoception Interoceptive accuracy Meta-analysis Systematic review |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | There was a small positive association between mindfulness and interoceptive accuracy (r = 0.13), but substantial uncertainty remains about the effect's true magnitude and direction. |
Abstract
Bodily sensations are a key element in many mindfulness practices. Previous meta-analytic evidence indicated a small positive association between mindfulness and interoceptive accuracy. The current study aimed to critically extend and update these findings, using all currently available evidence. Randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, and cross-sectional studies were identified in a systematic literature search and conjointly analyzed with 3-level meta-analysis, using robust estimators. Further, comprehensive risk-of-bias assessment, publication bias tests, and moderator analysis were conducted. Across 41 studies and 112 extracted effect sizes ( N =2411), there was a small positive association ( r =0.13, p =.002) between mindfulness and interoceptive accuracy, with an uninformatively wide 95% prediction interval [-0.36 to 0.62]. The effect was driven by indirect (vs. direct) measures of body awareness and case-control studies with long-term meditators. There was high heterogeneity, signs of publication bias, and predominantly low study quality, especially regarding the objectivity, validity, and reliability of implemented body awareness tasks. The point estimate suggests a small positive association between mindfulness and interoceptive accuracy. However, there still is substantial uncertainty about the effect's true magnitude and even its direction. More high-quality research and standardization of body awareness tasks are needed. Further, the complexity and costs of body awareness tasks suggest only limited practical utility in applying them to the assessment of mindfulness. Given the known efficacy of mindfulness interventions for various physical and mental disorders, clarifying the association between mindfulness and subjective and objective body awareness could enhance clinical practices.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- A meta-analysis of the effects of mindfulness meditation training on self-reported interoception Scientific Reports November 6, 2025
- Two weeks to tune in: Evaluating the effects of a short‐term body scan on interoception Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being September 4, 2025
- Minding the Body: A Meta-analysis of the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Training on Self-reported Interoception. Research Square June 4, 2025
Cites 40
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- Mindfulness meditation training alters cortical representations of interoceptive attention Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience June 11, 2012
and 35 more in the library