The Interoception Sensory Questionnaire (ISQ): A Scale to Measure Interoceptive Challenges in Adults

Abstract

Increasing attention is being paid to how adults on the autism spectrum perceive and interpret the interoceptive sense. This 20-item Interoception Sensory Questionnaire represents a single factor scale that can be interpreted as representing confusion about interoceptive bodily states unless these states are extreme (Alexisomia), and has been designed to discriminate across populations (total sample 511 participants). Findings showed that 74% of adults with autism reported interoceptive confusion. Another finding of the study was that as autistic traits increased, interoceptive confusion increased, with adults with diagnosed autism scoring highest on the construct. Implications for physiological self-regulation as well as physical health outcomes are discussed, as well as recommendations for future research.

Keywords: Alexisomia; Asperger’s syndrome; Autism; Hunger; Interoception; Pain; Sensory perception; Temperature; Thirst.