Effectiveness of Four Deconstructive Meditative Practices on Well-being and Self-deconstruction

NCT05317754 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: PI22/110
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 240
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The efficacy of interventions based on mindfulness and compassion has been demonstrated in both clinical and general population, and in different social contexts. These interventions include so-called attentional and constructive meditation practices, respectively. However, unlike these, there is a third group, known as deconstructive meditation practices, which has not been scientifically studied. Deconstructive practices aim to undo maladaptive cognitive patterns and generate knowledge about internal models of oneself, others and the world. Although there are theoretical and philosophical studies on the origin of addiction to the self or on the mechanisms of action associated with the deconstruction of the self, there are no randomized controlled trials evaluating these techniques in either a healthy population or clinical samples. This study aims to evaluate the effect of three deconstructive techniques by comparing them to the practice of mindfulness in the general population. A randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) will be conducted with about 240 participants allocated (1:1:1:1) to four groups: a) mindful breathing, b) prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition; c) the Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition; and d) the mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition. The primary outcome will be the qualities of the non-dual experience and spiritual awakening, measured by the Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory, assessed at pre and post-treatment and at 3 and 6-month follow ups. Other outcomes will be mindfulness, happiness, compassion, affectivity and altered state of consciousness. Outcomes at each time point will be compared using mixed-effects linear regression models adjusted for baseline scores, sex and age. This is the first RCT to apply deconstructive meditation techniques to evaluate their effect on the general population. The positive results of this project may have an important impact on the development of new interventions, not only to improve happiness and well-being in healthy populations but also potentially for the prevention and treatment of psychological and medical disorders, creating a new paradigm in the context of third-generation psychological interventions.

Conditions

Mental Health Wellness

Keywords

Deconstructive meditation practices; Mindfulness; Randomized controlled trial; Wellbeing; Self-deconstruction

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (16)

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the mindful breathing group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Baseline

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the mindful breathing group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Post-treatment 60 days from baseline

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the mindful breathing group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Three-months follow-up

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the mindful breathing group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Six-months follow-up

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Baseline

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Post-treatment 60 days from baseline

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Three-months follow-up

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Six-months follow-up

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Baseline

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Post-treatment 60 days from baseline

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Three-months follow-up

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Six-months follow-up

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Baseline

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Post-treatment 60 days from baseline

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Three-months follow-up

• The Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI)

  In the mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition, group. A total score, ranging from 20 to 100, is calculated by totalling the scores from all the items, with higher scores indicating higher levels of non-dual awareness

  Six-months follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (100)

• Sociodemographic data gender, age, nationality, current city of residence, marital status, education and for information regarding their experience with meditation.

  Baseline

• Sociodemographic data gender, age, nationality, current city of residence, marital status, education and for information regarding their experience with meditation.

  Baseline

• Sociodemographic data gender, age, nationality, current city of residence, marital status, education and for information regarding their experience with meditation.

  Baseline

• Sociodemographic data gender, age, nationality, current city of residence, marital status, education and for information regarding their experience with meditation.

  Baseline

• The Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment (NADA)

  Baseline

Study Arms (4)

Mindful breathing

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Mindful breathing

Prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition

The Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: The Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition

The mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: The mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition

Interventions

Mindful breathing BEHAVIORAL

* Formal practice should take 30-60 minutes/day. It can be divided into as many as 4 sessions/day at times of participants' choosing, but the recommended times are after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night. * There is no limit to the number of times informal practice can be performed during the day. * Use of a diary is necessary to record the time and duration of all formal and informal practices. * The intervention will have a duration of 60 days. During this period, participants are to take part only in the intervention to which they have been randomized and no other. After this period of time and during the follow-up, participants will be able to practise any kind of meditation and at times of their choosing, but this information must always be recorded in their diary.

Mindful breathing

Prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition BEHAVIORAL

* Formal practice should take 30-60 minutes/day. It can be divided into as many as 4 sessions/day at times of participants' choosing, but the recommended times are after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night. * There is no limit to the number of times informal practice can be performed during the day. * Use of a diary is necessary to record the time and duration of all formal and informal practices. * The intervention will have a duration of 60 days. During this period, participants are to take part only in the intervention to which they have been randomized and no other. After this period of time and during the follow-up, participants will be able to practise any kind of meditation and at times of their choosing, but this information must always be recorded in their diary.

Prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition

The Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition BEHAVIORAL

* Formal practice should take 30-60 minutes/day. It can be divided into as many as 4 sessions/day at times of participants' choosing, but the recommended times are after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night. * There is no limit to the number of times informal practice can be performed during the day. * Use of a diary is necessary to record the time and duration of all formal and informal practices. * The intervention will have a duration of 60 days. During this period, participants are to take part only in the intervention to which they have been randomized and no other. After this period of time and during the follow-up, participants will be able to practise any kind of meditation and at times of their choosing, but this information must always be recorded in their diary.

The Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition

The mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition BEHAVIORAL

* Formal practice should take 30-60 minutes/day. It can be divided into as many as 4 sessions/day at times of participants' choosing, but the recommended times are after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night. * There is no limit to the number of times informal practice can be performed during the day. * Use of a diary is necessary to record the time and duration of all formal and informal practices. * The intervention will have a duration of 60 days. During this period, participants are to take part only in the intervention to which they have been randomized and no other. After this period of time and during the follow-up, participants will be able to practise any kind of meditation and at times of their choosing, but this information must always be recorded in their diary.

The mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Older than 18 years of age
• No psychiatric diagnosis (self-reported)
• More than 1 year's experience of daily meditation practice
• Having a computer and Internet connection at home
• Being able to read and understand the Spanish language
• Willingness to participate in the study and sign the written informed consent form

You may not qualify if:

• Any diagnosis of a disease that may affect the central nervous system (pathological condition affecting the brain, traumatic brain injury, dementia) or other psychiatric diagnoses or acute psychiatric illnesses (severe range of depression, substance dependence or abuse, history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, eating disorders), except for anxiety disorder
• Any medical, infectious or degenerative disease that may affect mood; presence of delusional ideas; and hallucinations consistent or not with mood and suicide risk
• Taking any psychiatric medication.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hospital Miguel Servet: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of Psychiatry. Miguel Servet University Hospital

Zaragoza, Zaragoza, 50009, Spain

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Garcia-Campayo J, Hijar-Aguinaga R, Lopez-Del-Hoyo Y, Magallon-Botaya R, Fernandez-Martinez S, Barcelo-Soler A, Soler-Ribaudi J, Montero-Marin J. Effectiveness of four deconstructive meditative practices on well-being and self-deconstruction: study protocol for an exploratory randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2023 Feb 20;24(1):125. doi: 10.1186/s13063-023-07151-0.

  PMID: 36805694 DERIVED

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 31, 2022
• First Posted: April 8, 2022
• Study Start: February 11, 2023
• Primary Completion: March 30, 2025
• Study Completion: December 30, 2025
• Last Updated: September 16, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Locations

ES (1)