A systematic review of interoception and therapeutic outcome research: Implications for psychotherapeutic practice.
Isabela Aquino, Michele Dufey, Karina Manríquez-Reyes et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This systematic review examined how interoceptive processes relate to psychotherapy outcomes in adults, including their role as baseline client factors, changes during therapy, and outcomes in their own right. Following PRISMA 2020 guidance, the authors thematically synthesized 21 studies identified through searches of five databases. Improvements in interoceptive functioning—particularly awareness of bodily signals, bodily trust, and self-regulation—were associated with reductions in symptoms of eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and distress. The review also found that interoception was considered across diagnostic groups, while noting that research largely relied on top-down conceptualizations.
Key findings
- The review synthesized 21 studies of adults undergoing psychotherapy.
- Improved interoceptive awareness, bodily trust, and self-regulation were associated with reduced psychological symptoms.
- Reported symptom domains included eating disorder pathology, depression, anxiety, and distress.
- Interoception appeared as a transdiagnostic process across diagnostic groups.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that bodily awareness and related interoceptive processes may be relevant to understanding therapeutic change across different forms of psychological distress. However, varied definitions and measurement approaches limit clarity about which processes matter and how they operate. Combining self-report with behavioural and psychophysiological measures may help research better characterize these processes and their relationship to outcomes.
What to keep in mind
The evidence is based on 21 studies with differing conceptualizations and measures of interoception; the review notes that research is predominantly shaped by top-down conceptualizations.