Self-Soothing Touch Reduces Momentary Stress, Fatigue, and Loneliness Comparable to Brief Meditation: A Randomised Controlled Trial.
Franziska Maier, Ina Luttenberger, Aljoscha Dreisoerner, Bence Szaszkó
Stress and Health February 2026 DOI: 10.1002/smi.70145 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 78 |
| Population | Chronically stressed individuals (mean age 22.2 years; 81% female) |
| Interventions | Self-soothing touch Meditation |
| Duration | 14-day intervention, 4-week follow-up |
| Measures | Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), retrospective self-reports |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Ecological momentary assessment Fatigue Loneliness Self‐soothing touch Stress |
| Key findings | Both SST and meditation significantly reduced momentary stress, fatigue, and loneliness from pre- to post-session, with no significant group differences. SST, but not meditation, decreased pre-session fatigue across the intervention period, with stronger reductions among individuals higher in attachment avoidance. Neither intervention affected retrospective measures. |
Abstract
Chronic stress has well-documented adverse effects on physical and psychological health. Beyond contributing to the development of fatigue, its impact is intensified by social stressors such as loneliness, making the development of effective interventions crucial. Our randomised controlled trial therefore investigated whether a 14-day self-soothing touch (SST) intervention reduces stress, fatigue, and loneliness compared to a minimal-instruction meditation control in 78 chronically stressed individuals (MAge = 22.2 years; 81% female). We assessed acute (change pre-to-post session) and cumulative effects (across days) using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), while also collecting retrospective self-reports at baseline, post-intervention, and 4-week follow-up. For EMA outcomes, we additionally tested moderation by attachment anxiety and avoidance. Using linear mixed-effects models, both SST and meditation significantly reduced momentary stress (SST: b = -0.41, SE = 0.08, t = -4.79, p < 0.001; Control: b = -0.56, SE = 0.09, t = -6.43, p < 0.001), as well as fatigue (pSST < 0.001, pControl < 0.001) and loneliness (pSST ≤ 0.011, pcontrol = 0.004) from pre-to-post session, with no significant group differences (all ps ≥ 0.212). SST but not meditation yielded a decrease in pre-session fatigue across the intervention period (b = -0.06, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001), with stronger reductions among individuals higher in attachment avoidance. In contrast, neither intervention had effects on retrospective measures (all ps ≥ 0.117). Overall, SST emerged as a feasible and accessible approach, comparable to brief meditation in reducing stress, fatigue, and loneliness, with additional benefits particularly for those high in attachment avoidance.
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
Cites 5
- Effects of Brief and Sham Mindfulness Meditation on Mood and Cardiovascular Variables The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine July 28, 2010
- Effectiveness of meditation for fatigue management: Insight from a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. General Hospital Psychiatry August 1, 2024
- Caring for the caregivers: Evaluation of the effect of an eight-week pilot mindful self-compassion (MSC) training program on nurses' compassion fatigue and resilience. PLoS One 2018
- Mindful Self-Compassion Training Reduces Stress and Burnout Symptoms Among Practicing Psychologists: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Brief Web-Based Intervention. Frontiers in Psychology 2018
- A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the mindful self-compassion program. Journal of Clinical Psychology October 15, 2012