Mindfulness-Based Interventions and Body Awareness
Marbella Pérez-Peña, Jessica Notermans, Olivier Desmedt, K. van der Gucht, P. Philippot
Brain Science February 1, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020285 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Non-randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 148 |
| Population | Participants (n = 89 in the MBI group; n = 59 in the control group); a sub-sample of 86 completed an indirect measure of body awareness |
| Intervention | mindfulness-based intervention |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The MBI significantly reduced symptomatology, mediated by regulatory and belief-related dimensions of body awareness and various transdiagnostic psychological processes. |
Abstract
Body awareness (BA) has long been proposed as a working mechanism of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), yet research on the mediating role of BA is scarce. Hence, the present study assesses the impact of an 8-week MBI on self-reported and indirect measures of BA, investigates the potential mediating role of BA in the relationship between an MBI and symptomatology, evaluates the impact of an MBI on important psychological processes (i.e., experiential avoidance, rumination, self-efficacy, and self-discrepancy), and explores whether these variables act alongside BA in mediating the relationship between an MBI and symptomatology. A non-randomized controlled trial was conducted with 148 participants (n = 89 in the MBI group; n = 59 in the control group) who completed questionnaires assessing BA and the above-mentioned psychological processes before and after an MBI. A sub-sample of participants (n = 86) completed a task that evaluates BA indirectly. Results showed a significant effect of MBI on the self-reported BA but not on the indirect measure of BA. The MBI significantly reduced symptomatology, and this effect was mediated by regulatory and belief-related dimensions of BA. Multiple mediator models showed a significant mediation via various pathways involving improved BA and various transdiagnostic psychological processes.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 15
- Advanced and long-term meditation and the autonomic nervous system: A review and synthesis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews June 1, 2025
- Interoception and body image in breast cancer patients: a mindfulness-based stress reduction protocol. Frontiers in Psychology 2024
- Cognitive, psychological, and physiological effects of a web-based mindfulness intervention in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: an open study. BMC Geriatrics February 14, 2024
- Mindfulness and Objective Measures of Body Awareness: A Preregistered Systematic Review and Multilevel Meta-Analysis. Biopsychosocial science and medicine May 1, 2025
- How to create a mindful community of practice: exploring the social functions of group-based mindfulness practices facilitated via Zoom during COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
and 10 more in the library
Cites 30
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse JAMA Psychiatry April 28, 2016
- Interoception, contemplative practice, and health Frontiers in Psychology June 9, 2015
and 25 more in the library