Embodied Cognition in Meditation, Yoga, and Ethics—An Experimental Single-Case Study on the Differential Effects of Four Mind–Body Treatments

Karin Matko (), Peter Sedlmeier and Holger C. Bringmann
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Karin Matko: Institute of Psychology, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09120 Chemnitz, Germany
Peter Sedlmeier: Institute of Psychology, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09120 Chemnitz, Germany
Holger C. Bringmann: Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-24

Abstract: Yoga is an embodied contemplative practice considered as a path toward long-term well-being, which fosters an integrated processing of bodily and emotional stimuli. However, little is known about how the different components of yoga contribute to these processes. This was the aim of this single-case multiple-baseline study. Herein, we explored how different yoga components affect body awareness, emotion regulation, affectivity, self-compassion, and distress tolerance. Forty-two randomly assigned participants (from initially fifty-seven) completed one of four 8-week treatments: Mantra meditation alone (MA), meditation plus physical yoga (MY), meditation plus ethical education (ME), and meditation plus yoga and ethical education (MYE). Participants had no prior regular yoga or meditation practice. Data were analyzed using visual inspection, effect size estimation, and multilevel modeling. Surprisingly, all four treatments similarly improved body awareness (Tau- U MA = 0.21 to Tau- U MY = 0.49), emotion regulation (Tau- U MYE = −0.43 to Tau- U ME = −0.52), self-compassion (η 2 = 0.08), and distress tolerance (η 2 = 0.13). These effects were maintained until follow-up at 2 and 12 months after the study, even though home practice declined. The MA condition had the least favorable effect on affective experience (Tau- U MA = −0.14 and 0.07), while the ME condition enhanced valence the most (Tau- U ME = 0.10) and the MY condition was the most effective in preventing negative affective responses. Although mantra meditation on its own negatively influenced daily affect, it can be assumed as the driving force behind the improvement in the other variables. This points to the central role of meditation in increasing interoception, self-awareness, and embodied processing.

Keywords: embodied cognition; yoga components; mantra meditation; body awareness; emotion regulation; differential effects; single-case research; long-term effects (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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