Learning Full-Presence meditation using POEBRA: impacts on self-esteeem, benevolence, and anxiety

Meditation has shown benefits for mental health, yet difficulties may appear when practicing autonomously, particularly in people prone to anxiety or low self-esteem. The POEBRA (Program for Optimizing Self-Esteem and Benevolence and Reducing Anxiety) was developed to facilitate meditation learning through a structured, embodied, guided approach based on Full-Presence meditation. This study evaluated its effects on psychoaffective functioning in meditation novices, compared with an unguided silent practice.

The randomized, controlled, parallel-group study assigned 137 novice participants to either an eight-week POEBRA session (G1) or an unguided silence condition (G2). Participants completed five validated self-report scales before and after the intervention: Rosenberg's RSES, Neff's SCS, Spielberger's STAI_Y2, Crawford's PANAS, and Mehling's MAIA-2. Between-group differences in pre-post changes were analyzed using Welch's t-tests, complemented by ANCOVA and correlation analyses.

Completion rates were high (61/69 in G1 and 64/68 in G2). Compared with silence, POEBRA produced significantly greater improvements across all psychometric dimensions (all p < 0.001 except PANAS-NA, p = 0.015). The largest between-group effects were observed for trait anxiety (Δ = -8.1, d = 1.05), self-esteem (Δ = +3.6, d = 0.93), self-compassion (Δ = +0.53, d = 0.91), and interoceptive awareness (Δ = +0.54, d = 0.88). Positive affect increased under POEBRA (Δ = +4.1, p = 0.0002), while negative affect decreased more modestly. Correlation analyses revealed coherent internal dynamics in POEBRA, linking reduced anxiety with higher self-esteem and self-compassion (r = -0.64 and r = -0.68, both p < 0.001), while changes in the silence group were more diffuse.

Results confirm POEBRA strengthens self-esteem and self-compassion while reducing anxiety and emotional distress. Its emphasis on body awareness, guided reflection, and relational support appears to foster coherent psychoaffective transformation through embodied self-regulation. These findings align with previous research on the role of interoception and benevolence in emotional integration and self-confidence. Limitations include reliance on self-report measures and a predominantly female sample.

POEBRA offers a structured, body-centered pedagogical framework that promotes emotional stability, benevolence, and self-confidence through Full-Presence meditation. By integrating sensory attention, reflective guidance, and relational coaching, it provides an accessible approach to cultivating embodied self-regulation in non-clinical populations.