Holding the Body in Mind: Interoceptive Awareness, Dispositional Mindfulness and Psychological Well-Being
Adam W. Hanley, W. Mehling, E. Garland
Journal of Psychosomatic Research May 18, 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.05.014 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Secondary data analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 478 |
| Population | American adults completing online measures, average age 36.44 (SD 12.17), 57% female |
| Measures | Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Interoceptive awareness and dispositional mindfulness appear to be tightly interwoven, partly overlapping constructs, with greater mindfulness strongly linked to greater interoceptive awareness. Both constructs were independently associated with enhanced psychological well-being, though the authors note the cross-sectional design limits causal conclusions. |
Abstract
Objective: Recent dialogue between Western and Eastern traditions has stimulated novel explorations of the relationship between mind and body. Many of these cross-cultural, mind-body dialogues have proven productive in identifying more adaptive forms of embodiment. Prior studies suggest that dispositional mindfulness (DM) and interoceptive awareness (IA) are associated but distinct, key constructs in mind-body approaches that are conceptualized in a variety of ways with imprecisely characterized relationship. The current study is a secondary data analysis that explores the relationship between scores on measures of IA and DM, examining multivariate networks of association between these constructs and addressing their relationship with scores on a measure of psychological well-being.
Method: Participants (n=478) were American adults completing measures of interoceptive awareness (as measured by the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness; MAIA), dispositional mindfulness (as measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire; FFMQ), and psychological well-being (as measure by the Scales of Psychological Well-Being; SPWB) online. The average participant age was 36.44 (S.D.=12.17), and 57% were female.
Results: Correlational results from his study indicated that the IA scales and DM facets form two associative clusters. Canonical correlation analysis supported this finding, revealing that two primary networks of association exist between IA and DM, a Regulatory Awareness cluster and an Acceptance in Action cluster. Finally, hierarchical linear regression demonstrated that the self-report measures of IA and DM shared considerable variance, but also explained unique portions of the variance in psychological well-being.
Conclusion: This psychometric investigation demonstrates that IA and DM are tightly interwoven, partly overlapping constructs. Indeed, greater DM is strongly linked with greater IA. Additionally, both IA and DM appear to be independently associated with enhanced psychological well-being. Future research should investigate how mindfulness practices moderate IA for therapeutic implications.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 37
- Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal Cell Reports Medicine 2023
- An Exploration of Formal and Informal Mindfulness Practice and Associations with Wellbeing Mindfulness May 21, 2018
- The relationship between mindfulness and objective measures of body awareness: A meta-analysis Scientific Reports November 22, 2019
- The impact of a brief mindfulness training on interoception: A randomized controlled trial PLoS One September 7, 2022
- Interoceptive Interaction: An Embodied Metaphor Inspired Approach to Designing for Meditation May 6, 2021
and 32 more in the library
Cites 11
- 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
- Interoception, contemplative practice, and health Frontiers in Psychology June 9, 2015
- Minding one’s emotions: Mindfulness training alters the neural expression of sadness. Emotion February 1, 2010
and 6 more in the library