Research Update

Interoception is the sense of the internal state of the body. Alterations in interoception are often found in trauma-related conditions, and Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) have been shown to influence interoceptive processes. These investigators undertook a meta-analysis to determine the impact of MBIs on both interoception and trauma symptoms.  They included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an MBI arm that enrolled adult patients with trauma related-disorders or exposure to a traumatic experience, and assessed changes in interoception and trauma-related symptoms.  Ten studies with 1009 participants were included in the meta-analysis for interoception and 11 studies with 957 participants were included for trauma symptoms. Overall, MBIs showed a small but significant positive effect on interoception (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.253 (95% CI 0.058-0.448)) and a moderate significant positive effect on trauma symptoms (SMD 0.323 (95% CI 0.116-0.531)). The authors concluded that the efficacy of MBIs on interoception and trauma-related symptoms is supported by randomized trial evidence, and that further research is needed to understand whether changes in interoception are responsible for the effectiveness of MBIs in trauma-related disorders.

Molteni L, Gosling CJ, Fagan HA, et al. Psychiatry Research. Volume 336, June 2024, 115897.