{rfName}
Ex

License and Use

Licencia

Altmetrics

Analysis of institutional authors

Llorens, RobertoAuthor

Share

September 22, 2025
Publications
>
Article
No

Exploring Visceral Body Scan, Somatosensory Body Scan, and External Meditation: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Publicated to: Mindfulness. 16 (9): 2451-2471 - 2025-01-01 16(9), DOI: 10.1007/s12671-025-02631-7

Authors:

Desdentado, Lorena; Miragall, Marta; Cebolla, Ausias; Llorens Rodríguez, Roberto; Andreu, Catherine I.; Burychka, Diana; Slavkova, Reneta; Baños, Rosa M.
[+]

Affiliations

Inst Salud Carlos III, CIBER Physiopathol Obes & Nutr CIBEROBN, Ave Monforte Lemos, 3-5, Madrid 28029, Spain - Author
Univ Politecn Valencia, Inst Human Ctr Technol Res, Neurorehabil & Brain Res Grp, Camino Vera S-N, Valencia 46022, Spain - Author
Univ Santiago de Compostela, Ctr Singular Invest Tecnol Intelixentes, Intangible Real Lab, Rua Jenaro Fuente S-N, Santiago De Compostela 15705, Spain - Author
Univ Valencia, Dept Personal Evaluat & Psychol Treatments, Ave Blasco Ibanez 21, Valencia 46010, Spain - Author
Univ Valencia, Polibienestar Res Inst, Calle Serpis 29, Valencia 46022, Spain - Author
See more

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study aimed to (1) investigate the feasibility of three online-delivered mindfulness practices that emphasize different types of attentional focus: visceral body scan (VBS), somatosensory body scan (SBS), and external (non-body) meditation (ECM), and (2) gain insight into the potential effects of these interventions on interoceptive and other psychological outcomes.MethodA pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted in a community-based sample recruited from social networks. It consisted of a 1-week online intervention of either VBS, SBS, or ECM. Feasibility measures included the study retention rate, adherence, mindfulness practice quality, mindfulness-related adverse effects, and acceptability. Several questionnaires on interoceptive, mindfulness, and emotional outcomes were administered before and after the intervention.ResultsA total of 48 adult individuals were enrolled. The retention rate was 66.20% and the adherence to the meditation practice was 56.53%. Acceptability and quality of the mindfulness practice were moderate, and most participants reported no adverse effects. We found some preliminary effects related to specific conditions (e.g., VBS was related to a decrease in attention to unpleasant bodily sensations), while other trends were found to be common among several conditions (e.g., VBS and SBS were associated with a preliminary decrease in the level of dampening of positive emotions).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that improvements in feasibility are needed before this study design can be applied in larger-scale research. Hence, some refinements for the study protocol are proposed. Implications and future directions for this area of research are also discussed.Preregistration This study was retrospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov on 31 January 2024 (NCT06237530).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that improvements in feasibility are needed before this study design can be applied in larger-scale research. Hence, some refinements for the study protocol are proposed. Implications and future directions for this area of research are also discussed.Preregistration This study was retrospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov on 31 January 2024 (NCT06237530).
[+]

Keywords

AccuracyBody scanEating-disordersHealthInteroceptionInteroceptiveInterventionsMindfulnessPathwaysSelf-compassionShameSomatosensoryStressTherapy

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Mindfulness due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2025, it was in position 30/185, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Psychology, Clinical.

[+]

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2026-04-05:

  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 5 (PlumX).
[+]

Awards linked to the item

The authors wish to thank CIBERObn, an initiative of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISC III CB06 03/0052).
[+]