Dynamic heartbeat tracking beyond the laboratory: Introducing the novel Graz Ambulatory Interoception Task (GRAIT)

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Physiology

Background:

• Interoception, the sense of the internal bodily state, is crucial for self-awareness and emotional regulation.
• Previous assessments of interoceptive accuracy relied heavily on laboratory settings, limiting ecological validity.
• The accuracy of interoceptive beliefs (AccIB) has not been adequately explored in real-world contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel ambulatory method, the Graz Ambulatory Interoception Task (GRAIT), for assessing AccIB.
• To examine between- and within-person variations in AccIB.
• To explore the relationship between AccIB and relevant psychological and physiological factors in daily life.

Main Methods:

• Participants engaged in a novel ambulatory task (GRAIT) involving counting perceived heartbeats in their everyday environment.
• Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (R_kR for between-person, R_Cn for within-person).
• Validity was examined through correlations with a laboratory-based interoception task and associations with self-reported measures.

Main Results:

• The GRAIT demonstrated high between-person (R_kR = 0.99) and moderate within-person reliability (R_Cn = 0.62).
• Strong validity was confirmed via high correlation with a laboratory task (r = 0.87).
• Within-person analyses revealed that higher interoceptive sensibility, heart rate variability, and states of low arousal with positive affect were associated with greater AccIB. Study 2 replicated these findings and linked AccIB to enhanced self-control.

Conclusions:

• The GRAIT is a reliable and valid tool for assessing AccIB in ambulatory settings.
• Accurate cardiac interoception beliefs in daily life are associated with physiological markers and psychological states.
• These findings underscore the significance of cardiac interoception for self-control and health-related behaviors.