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Relations among parent-reported physical activity and interoception in children
Carissa Wengrovius1, Suzanna Zick1, Adriene M Beltz1
1University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
Insights
Higher physical activity (PA) in children is linked to better awareness of emotions and physical energy. This study explored PA and interoceptive awareness in children aged 3-10, finding key associations for health development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Child Health Research
Background:
- Interoception, the sense of the body's internal state, is crucial for self-regulation.
- Physical activity (PA) may support interoceptive processes, but research in children is limited.
- This study investigates the link between parent-reported PA and interoceptive domains in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between physical activity and interoceptive sensibility in children aged 3-10 years.
- To examine how parent-reported physical activity relates to various domains of interoception.
- To provide foundational data for developing interventions supporting children's health behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of baseline data from a cluster-randomized controlled yoga intervention study (N=122).
- Utilized parent-completed questionnaires: Caregiver Questionnaire for Interoceptive Awareness, Second Edition (CQIA-2), PROMIS Parent-Proxy Short Form (PROMIS-PA), and adapted Burdette Proxy Report (aBPR-PA).
- Assessed psychometrics of CQIA-2 subscales and examined associations between PA and interoceptive sensibility.
Main Results:
- Significant positive association found between physical activity and interoceptive domains of emotion and physical energy (p < 0.01).
- Children meeting "good" PA cutoffs (PROMIS-PA) showed clearer emotion and physical energy awareness (p=0.016).
- Child's age predicted interoceptive sensibility for illness and toileting needs (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Higher physical activity levels in children correlate with enhanced interoceptive sensibility regarding emotions and physical energy.
- Children's age is a significant predictor for awareness of illness and toileting needs.
- Future research should integrate direct PA measures and child-reported interoception for improved intervention design.
Background:
Interoception is the sense of one's internal body and emotional state; it plays a critical role in guiding self-regulatory behaviors. Physical activity (PA) can support interoceptive processes, but limited research has examined the association in children. This study explored the relations among parent-reported PA and several interoceptive domains in children aged 3 - 10 years old.
Methods:
Baseline data were analyzed from a cluster-randomized controlled study examining a yoga intervention (N = 122). Parents completed a questionnaire that included the Caregiver Questionnaire for Interoceptive Awareness, Second Edition (CQIA-2) and two measures of PA, the PROMIS Parent-Proxy Short Form (PROMIS-PA) and the adapted Burdette Proxy Report (aBPR-PA). Psychometrics of the CQIA-2 subscales were assessed and then used in subsequent analyses to examine the association between PA and interoceptive sensibility.
Results:
Seventy percent of the surveys were completed by mothers (30% by fathers), and their children (56% female, Mage = 5.81 ± 1.7 years) were predominately white. Across all children, PA had a significant positive relationship with interoceptive domains related to emotion and physical energy (p < 0.01). Children who met the PROMIS-PA "good" cutoff had a clearer sense of emotion and physical energy (F(2,115) = 4.30, p = 0.016, R2 = 0.070), compared to children who did not. Children's age predicted interoceptive sensibility of illness and toileting needs (F(1,116) = 14.16, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.109).
Conclusion:
Children with higher PA levels were perceived to have better interoceptive sensibility of emotion and physical energy. Children's age was predictive of interoceptive domains representing the awareness of illness and toileting needs. Future work should consider incorporating direct measures of PA and child-reported interoceptive sensibility. A better understanding of their relationship will likely help guide the design of more effective interventions for health behavior development.
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