Two weeks to tune in: Evaluating the effects of a short-term body scan on interoception

Abstract

Mindfulness practices, such as the body scan, could enhance interoception. While prior research shows promise for its effects on interoceptive sensibility (IS; subjective experience of bodily cues) and accuracy (IAcc; accurate detection of bodily signals), studies often use a limited set of interoceptive variables or apply small samples. In two pre-registered randomized trials, we examined a 2-week daily auditory body scan intervention vs. active control (guided imagery; Study 1) or passive control (Study 2). Study 1 included N = 85 participants (M_age = 22.26, 71% women), randomized to body scan or guided imagery. Study 2 included N = 90 participants (M_age = 23.05, 80% women), randomized to body scan or passive control. IAcc was measured pre- and post-intervention using the heartbeat tracking task (HTT) and heartbeat discrimination task (HDT), while IS was assessed via confidence ratings and the multidimensional assessment of interoceptive awareness (MAIA-2). Study 1 showed significant time effects for IAcc (HTT: p < .001; HDT: p = .012), confidence ratings (p's < .001), and MAIA-2 (p < .001). Study 2 found improvements following the body scan for IAcc (HTT: p = .050), confidence ratings (HTT: p = .006; HDT: p = .0496), and MAIA-2 (p = .003). Findings suggest that body scan enhances interoception within two weeks, though guided imagery and similar approaches may yield comparable effects.