Interoception and Emotional Experiences in Stroke Survivors: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study

This study aimed to explore stroke survivors' interoceptive and emotional experiences. Interoception, defined as the perception and interpretation of internal bodily states, may influence emotional regulation after stroke.

This study employed a descriptive phenomenological study.

This study was conducted in the Neurology and Rehabilitation Departments of a tertiary hospital in Zhengzhou, China. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with stroke survivors receiving rehabilitation services. Sixteen stroke survivors were recruited through purposive sampling and conducted face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data collection and analysis were conducted simultaneously, and the Colaizzi seven-step analysis method was used to code and extract themes from the transcripts.

A total of five themes and 13 sub-themes were summarised, including: (1) Physical 'disconnection'-interoceptive experience disorders; (2) Interconnected bodily sensations and emotional experiences; (3) Gradually learning to understand and regulate bodily sensations; (4) Perceptual regulation empowerment and limitations in social relationships; (5) The Social-Cultural context of expressing internal feelings.

Stroke survivors may frequently experience significant interoceptive dysfunction, which is closely related to emotional state, cultural cognition, and social support.

This study followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist.

Stroke survivors participated through semi-structured interviews, and four survivors reviewed the interview guide before data collection to improve question clarity and relevance.

The findings of this study have important implications for clinical practice and nursing education. Healthcare providers should pay greater attention to stroke survivors' bodily perceptions and emotional experiences during rehabilitation. Interoceptive awareness strategies, such as mindfulness, breathing exercises, and body awareness training, could be incorporated into rehabilitation programmes to help patients better regulate emotions. In addition, nursing education could strengthen training related to emotional assessment and interoceptive awareness to promote more holistic and patient-centred care.