(PS14-73) Exploring the Synergistic Influence of Mindfulness and Touch: A Study on Anxiety, Body Appreciation and Bodily Awareness

Mindfulness refers to a mental state of being in the present without judgment or reactivity. It has been demonstrated to be an efficacious buffer for various issues, ranging from feelings of burdensomeness to body dissatisfaction and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. Given the significance of touch in the human experience and its role in psychological well-being and emotional regulation, this study aimed to investigate the potential synergistic influence of combining mindfulness and touch. The study recruited a total of 241 participants, aged between 18 to 47 (M =19.48 , SD =3.37 ), from a southwestern public university. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: a control, a guided mindfulness exercise, and the combined mindfulness exercise plus a self-touch component group. Participants completed a stress induction task, an advanced mathematical task and subsequently, listened to an audio recording based on their conditions: mechanics of airplanes in the control group, a guided mindfulness exercise, and a guided mindfulness exercise along with compassionate self-touch. The participants then completed several questionnaires on their psychological states, including the State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity, the Body Appreciation Scale, and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences in the state mindfulness of the body for the three conditions, F(2, 237)= 39.85, p< . 001, η²= .25.Tukey HSD post hoc analysis showed that the state mindfulness of the body for the control condition (M=15.28, SD=5.86) was significantly lower than the mindfulness group (M=21.87, SD=5.35) and for the mindfulness and compassionate touch group M=22.32, SD=5.35). No significant difference was found between the two mindfulness groups.  No significant results were obtained for body appreciation and state anxiety. Findings from this study contribute to a deeper understanding of mindfulness in increasing bodily awareness.