INTEROCEPTIVE AWARENESS AS IT RELATES TO EATING DISORDERS RISK IN COLLEGE WOMEN: DOES VASOCONSTRICTION INCREASE CARDIAC AWARENESS?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a subclinical eating disorder sample of college women exhibit interoceptive deficits psychologically and physiologically compared to healthy college women. Additionally, the effect of vasoconstriction (due to brief exercise) on cardiac awareness was investigated. Twenty five college women completed a psychological measures as well as a heartbeat perception task before and after walking on stairs for two minutes. Results indicate that this subclinical eating disorder sample exhibited interoceptive deficit as measured by a psychological scale, but did not exhibit altered interoceptive abilities as measured by a physiological task compared to the low risk sample. These findings suggest that interoceptive deficits related to identifying emotional states may be more defining in those with eating disorder risk than is interoceptive deficits related to identifying physiological states. Clinical and research implications of these findings are discussed.