Interoception in preschoolers: New insights into its assessment and relations to emotion regulation and stress

Interoception may play an important role for emotion regulation and stress, thereby affecting mental health in children and adults. Yet, little is known on interoception in preschool children. Therefore, we investigated interoceptive accuracy using the adapted Jumping Jack Paradigm (JJP) and its relationship with emotion regulation and stress. In Study I, 40 preschoolers completed the JJP and an emotion regulation task, demonstrating a positive relationship between interoceptive accuracy and emotion regulation at trend level (R-2 = 0.231, p =.023; beta =.278, p =.073). In Study II, 31 preschoolers completed the adapted JJP before and after an acute laboratory stress test. Higher total cortisol output following acute stress induction was associated with reduced interoceptive accuracy (r = 0.670, p =.017). Extending earlier findings in adults and school-children, the relationship of interoceptive accuracy with emotion regulation and stress highlights the importance to investigate interoception in early childhood.

Automated summary

Interoception may play a crucial role in emotion regulation and stress in children and adults, as evidenced by the positive relationship between interoceptive accuracy and emotion regulation, as well as the impact of acute stress on interoceptive accuracy in preschool children. This highlights the importance of investigating interoception in early childhood, building on previous findings in adults and school-aged children.