Minding the Body: A Meta-analysis of the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Training on Self-reported Interoception.
Isaac N Treves, Ya-Yun Chen, Caitlyn L Wilson, Charles Verdonk, Joanne Qina Au, James E. Pustejovsky, Simon B. Goldberg, Wolf Mehling, Zev Schuman-Olivier, Sahib S. Khalsa
Research Square June 4, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6792067/v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Meta-analysis Randomized Preregistered |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2,191 |
| Population | Adults (77.8% female, mean age 32.8 years) from randomized controlled trials |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based programs body-based approaches |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Body awareness Mental health Interoception |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based interventions had a small-to-medium positive effect on self-reported interoception (g = 0.31), with mindfulness-based programs showing the largest effects (g = 0.41), and improvements were related to reductions in psychological distress. |
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation training may cultivate interoceptive awareness and provide therapeutic benefit when implemented within mental and physical health interventions. This pre-registered meta-analysis evaluated the impact of mindfulness interventions on self-reported interoception measures and associated relationships with psychological outcomes. Twenty-nine randomized controlled trials with 2,191 participants (77.8% female, mean age 32.8 years) were meta-analyzed using correlated and hierarchical effects models. Interventions included mindfulness-based programs ( k = 15), body-based approaches (incorporating elements like massage, k = 8), and other variations ( k = 6). Five SIMs were tested; the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness was the most common (22 studies). Results showed a small-to-medium positive effect on interoception measures across all studies ( g = 0.31, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.21, 0.42]) with low-to-moderate heterogeneity ( τ = 0.16). Mindfulness-based programs demonstrated the largest effects ( g = 0.41). No evidence of publication bias was found. No other moderators, such as practice dosage or clinical sample, were significant. Improvements in self-reported interoception were similar in size to improvements in self-reported mindfulness and were related to improvements in psychological distress. These meta-analytic findings provide evidence that mindfulness-based interventions lead to adaptive changes in the subjective experience of interoception, perhaps contributing to improved mental wellbeing.