NCT05317754

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

Active, enrolled NA Last updated 16 September 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Mindful breathing in Mental Health Wellness in 240 participants. Participants enrolled and being followed up; not accepting new ones.

Timeline

11 February 2023

Primary endpoint
30 March 2025

30 December 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Hospital Miguel Servet
Phase	NA
Status	Active, enrolled
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	double
Primary purpose	prevention
Enrollment	240
Start date	11 February 2023
Primary completion	30 March 2025
Estimated completion	30 December 2025
Sites	1 location across Spain

Drugs / interventions tested

• Mindful breathing
• Prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition
• The Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition
• The mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition

Conditions studied

• Mental Health Wellness — all drugs for Mental Health Wellness →

Sponsor

Hospital Miguel Servet

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Mental Health Wellness. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

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.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Effectiveness of four deconstructive meditative practices on well-being and self-deconstruction: study protocol for an exploratory randomized controlled trial.
   García-Campayo J, Hijar-Aguinaga R, López-Del-Hoyo Y, Magallón-Botaya R, et al · · 2023 · cited 2× · PMID 36805694 · DOI 10.1186/s13063-023-07151-0