Out of touch: Interoceptive deficits are elevated in suicide attempters with eating disorders. Issue 1 (2nd January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, April; Forrest, Lauren; Velkoff, Elizabeth
• Is Part Of: Eating disorders. Volume 26:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 52
• Page End: 65
• Publication Date: 2018-01-02
• Subjects: Interoception -- interoceptive deficits -- eating disorders -- suicide -- suicidality -- emotion regulation; Eating disorders -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Eating disorders -- Prevention -- Periodicals; 616.8526
• DOI: 10.1080/10640266.2018.1418243
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1064-0266

Abstract

ABSTRACT: People with eating disorders have elevated interoceptive deficits and risk for self-injurious behaviors (SIBs). Across two eating disorder samples, the relationship between interoceptive deficits (IDs) and SIBs was tested. Study 1 (n = 100) found that suicide attempters and those engaging in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) had greater IDs than those with no self-injury history. Lack of access to emotion regulation strategies accounted for the link between IDs and SIBs. In Study 2 (n = 92) multiple suicide attempters had greater IDs than single attempters and those engaging in NSSI; however, the latter two groups did not differ from one another. Interoceptive deficits may differentiate those who engage in severe SIBs from those who do not, and thus be a useful determinant of suicide risk severity among patients with eating disorders. Lack of access to emotion regulation strategies appears to be one pathway linking interoceptive deficits and self-injury.