The role of a mindful movement-based program (Movimento Biologico) in health promotion: results of a pre-post intervention study

Summary & key facts

Researchers ran an 8-week mindful movement program (Movimento Biologico) with 38 university students (mean age 21.2 years; 60.5% male). Participants completed four questionnaires before and after the program. After the program, several measures of interoceptive awareness and positive mental health improved significantly, while overall psychological well-being and sense of coherence showed non-significant increases. The authors suggest the changes may come from better noticing and managing body sensations, stronger links between sensations and emotions, more confidence in the body, and greater autonomy. The study used a pre–post design and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with significance set at p

Key facts:

• Sample size was 38 students.
• Mean age of participants was 21.2 years.
• 60.5% of the participants were male.
• The program ran for 8 weeks (October 16 to November 27, 2022).
• Participants completed four questionnaires before and after: an 18-item Psychological Well-Being (PWB) scale, a 9-item Positive Mental Health (PMH) scale, a 13-item Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale, and the 32-item Multidimensional Assessment
• Statistical tests used were Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, with significance set at p < 0.05.
• Several MAIA subscales improved significantly: noticing (p = 0.003), attention management (p = 0.002), emotional awareness (p = 0.007), self-regulation (p < 0.001), body listening (p = 0.001), and trusting (p = 0.001).
• Positive mental health (PMH) increased significantly (p = 0.015).
• The autonomy subscale of psychological well-being improved significantly (p = 0.036).
• Overall psychological well-being and sense of coherence increased but those changes were not statistically significant.

Abstract

The MB program significantly improved participants' positive mental health and interoceptive awareness. This likely resulted from better recognition and management of positive physiological sensations, a stronger link between physical sensations and emotions, enhanced confidence in one's body, and increased autonomy.

Topics

Health, psychology, and well-being Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Psychiatry and Mental health

Tags

Active listening Clinical psychology Intervention (counseling) Kinesiology Medicine Mental health Physical therapy Physics Psychiatry Psychology Psychotherapist Quantum mechanics Scale (ratio)