Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response: An Ineffective Long-Term Therapeutic Intervention

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a sensory phenomenon characterised by a pleasant tingling sensation in the scalp that radiates throughout the body in response to specific triggers. Using self-reported measures, the current study sought to establish if regular ASMR elicitation over a one-week period bestowed significant improvements in mood in comparison to a mindfulness intervention and control group. Findings suggest ASMR is an ineffective long-term intervention for improving mood. Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is an involuntary sensory phenomenon experienced in response to specific auditory and visual triggers. ASMR is characterised by a pleasant tingling sensation originating in the scalp that, depending on the strength of the response, can radiate down the spine and throughout the rest of the body (Barratt & Davis, 2015). In recent years there has been a surge of interest in ASMR with a large online community forming on the video platforming site YouTube, with hundreds of channels now specifically creating ASMR videos (Barratt & Davis, 2015). These videos are often viewed by those who experience ASMR as a means of eliciting the tingling sensation.