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

Abstract Objectives This 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. Method A 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. Results A 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). Conclusions Our 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).