Measuring interoception from infancy to childhood: A scoping review

Background

Interoception is the ability to perceive, understand, and respond to internal bodily signals. Despite its importance, our knowledge of interoceptive abilities in the early stages of development remains limited. Delays or atypical patterns in interoceptive development may serve as early indicators of potential developmental psychopathology. Thus, assessing interoception in infancy and early childhood is essential for advancing our understanding of both typical and atypical developmental pathways.

Objective

This scoping review summarises existing evidence regarding interoception from infancy to childhood and identifies the most common methods for assessing interoception in neurotypical pediatric populations.

Design

A literature review was performed through a robust search of three scientific databases.

Results

Among 663 studies, 24 articles met the inclusion criteria. The most commonly used methods in infancy were looking-time paradigms and brain-based implicit measures, such as Heart-Evoked Potentials (HEP). Researchers predominantly used child-adapted versions of Heart Tracking Tasks (HTT) for preschool-aged children. The primary methods for investigating interoceptive abilities among school-aged children included HTTs and self-report measures. Only one study used fMRI to examine mind-body connections in childhood, while two relied on parent reports.

Conclusions

This review offers a comprehensive overview of past and current methods for measuring interoception in the literature. It highlights the strengths and limitations of existing methodologies and presents recommendations to enhance our understanding of interoception in early human development.