Dataset Information

Relationship between interoceptive sensibility and somatoform disorders in adults with autism spectrum traits. The mediating role of alexithymia and emotional dysregulation.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The purpose of the study is to analyses the relationship between interoceptive sensibility and somatoform disorders among persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It has been assumed that the interoceptive sensibility is accompanied by a high level of alexithymia and emotion dysregulation in somatoform disorders.

Methods

Persons under the care of the foundation helping people with ASD were asked to participate in the study. In total, 205 people took part in the research. The participants aged from 18 to 63 (M = 34.91; SD = 8.44). The ASD group comprised 79 persons (38.5% of subjects). The control group comprised 126 individuals (61.5% of subjects). Participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring autism (AQ), interoceptive sensibility (BPQ), alexithymia (TAS20), emotional dysregulation (DERS), and somatoform disorder (SDQ).

Results

The analyses showed a moderation effect of the group, which indicates the existence of a relationship between interoceptive sensibility and somatoform disorders to the greater extent in the clinical group than in the control group. In addition, the serial multiple mediation model analysis allowed to verify the mediating effect of emotion dysregulation and alexithymia on the abovementioned relationship. The indirect effect, which assumed the mediating role of alexithymia turned out to be significant, contrary to the indirect effect where emotion dysregulation was a mediator in a situation where both variables were applied simultaneously.

Conclusions

Interoceptive sensibility correlated with level of alexithymia, in particular, difficulties in identifying and verbalizing emotions and emotion dysregulation in the lack of emotional awareness and lack of emotional clarity and is associated with somatoform disorders in the investigated group regardless of participants' belonging to the ASD or control group.

SUBMITTER: Zdankiewicz-Scigala E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8384168 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundInteroception refers to the sensing, interpretation, integration, and regulation of signals about the body's internal physiological state. Interoceptive sensibility is the subjective evaluation of interoceptive experience, as assessed by self-report measures, and is abnormal in numerous neuropsychiatric disorders. Research examining interoceptive sensibility in individuals with chronic tic disorders (CTDs), however, has yielded conflicting results, likely due to methodologic differences between studies and small sample sizes.ObjectiveWe sought to compare interoceptive sensibility between adults with CTD and healthy controls, adjusting for co-occurring psychiatric symptoms, and to examine the relationship of interoceptive sensibility with other CTD clinical features, in particular, premonitory urge.MethodsWe recruited adults with CTDs and sex- and age-matched healthy controls to complete the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness, Version 2 (MAIA-2), as well as a battery of measures assessing psychiatric symptoms prevalent in CTD populations. CTD participants additionally completed scales quantifying tic severity, premonitory urge severity, and health-related quality of life. We conducted between-group contrasts (Wilcoxon rank-sum test) for each MAIA-2 subscale, analyzed the effect of psychiatric symptoms on identified between-group differences (multivariable linear regression), and examined within-group relationships between MAIA-2 subscales and other clinical measures (Spearman rank correlations, multivariable linear regression).ResultsBetween adults with CTD (n = 48) and healthy controls (n = 48), MAIA-2 Noticing and Not-Worrying subscale scores significantly differed. After adjusting for covariates, lower MAIA-2 Not-Worrying subscale scores were significantly associated with female sex (β = 0.42, p < 0.05) and greater severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (β = -0.028, p < 0.01), but not with CTD diagnosis. After adjusting for severity of tics and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, a composite of MAIA-2 Noticing, Attention Regulation, Emotional Awareness, Self-Regulation, Body Listening, and Trusting subscales (β = 2.52, p < 0.01) was significantly associated with premonitory urge.ConclusionStudy results revealed three novel findings: adults with CTD experience increased anxiety-associated somatization and increased general body awareness relative to healthy controls; anxiety-associated somatization is more closely associated with sex and obsessive-compulsive symptoms than with CTD diagnosis; and increased general body awareness is associated with greater severity of premonitory urges.