Minding the Body: A Meta-analysis of the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Training on Self-reported Interoception.
Research square – June 04, 2025
Source: PubMed
Summary
Mindfulness meditation does more than calm the mind - it enhances our ability to sense internal bodily signals. Analysis of 29 studies shows that mindfulness training significantly improves body awareness, particularly through structured programs. These improvements correlate with reduced psychological distress, suggesting that better mind-body connection supports mental wellbeing.
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.