Attachment representations are associated with interoceptive accuracy but not awareness or sensibility

Abstract

Abstract

Interoception – the perception of internal bodily states such as heartbeat, respiration, and visceral sensations – has been proposed to constitute a fundamental component of self-regulation. Current theorizing proposes that interoception consists of several dimensions: interoceptive accuracy, sensibility, and metacognitive awareness. From an attachment perspective, attachment representations are proposed to shape self-regulation across the lifespan, and are thus expected to influence the processing of bodily signals. We investigated the association between attachment representations and dimensions of interoception in an adult sample (N = 116, Mage = 40.43). Attachment was assessed using the Adult Attachment Interview. A heartbeat counting task with confidence ratings measured interoceptive accuracy, sensibility, and awareness. Analyses revealed that Coherence of Transcript and attachment category positively predicted interoceptive accuracy, but not sensibility or awareness. This pattern suggests that attachment-related processes primarily operate at the level of first-order bodily signal detection rather than metacognitive evaluation or beliefs.