Social touch is associated with disrupted bodily self-concept in people with depersonalization symptoms

Social touch plays a fundamental role in bodily self-awareness and emotional regulation. Alterations in how touch is perceived or sought may contribute to disturbances in self-perception, such as those seen in depersonalization. This study examined the relationship between depersonalization symptoms, social touch acceptance and seeking, and self-concept clarity in a non-clinical Argentinian sample (N = 273). Participants completed an online body-mapping task to indicate acceptable touch areas from strangers, friends/family, and intimate partners, along with questionnaires assessing comfort with social touch, depersonalization symptoms, self-concept clarity, and other psychological factors. As expected, touch acceptance increased with relational closeness. Both greater comfort with social touch and higher acceptance of touch from intimate partners were positively associated with self-concept clarity. Mediation analysis revealed that seeking and comfort with social touch partially explained the relationship between depersonalization and self-concept clarity. Depersonalization symptoms were also linked to higher anxiety, depression, and negative affect, and lower positive affect and life satisfaction. These findings highlight the relevance of bodily and interpersonal processes in the experience of self and suggest that social touch may play a role in the development of interventions targeting depersonalization.