An Interoception- Based Intervention for Improving Emotional Regulation in Children in a Special Education Classroom: Feasibility Study

Kelly Mahler, Kerri Hample, Carly Ensor, Mary Ludwig, Laura Palanzo-Sholly, Adelaide Stang, Dominic Trevisan, Claudia Hilton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Interoception supports the ability to notice, interpret, and react to internal sensations and impacts emotional regulation and participation in meaningful activities. This study aimed to expand evidence regarding the efficacy of a 7-week intervention based on The Interoception Curriculum: A Guide to Developing Mindful Self-Regulation in improving interoception and emotional regulation. We purposefully sampled middle-school participants (N = 9) with several diagnoses from a special education classroom. Self-report and teacher-report measures on interoceptive awareness and emotional regulation were collected before and after implementation of the interoception intervention. Statistically significant correlations were seen between the interoceptive awareness and emotional regulation and improvements in interoceptive awareness and emotional regulation were found following the intervention. In a small one group pretest/post-test design, a seven-week intervention based on the interoception curriculum demonstrated feasibility of this approach for children in a special education classroom and outcomes showed that interoceptive awareness and emotional regulation could improve after participation in this intervention.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)636-650
Number of pages15
JournalOccupational Therapy in Health Care
Volume38
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024

Keywords

  • Emotional regulation
  • feasibility
  • interoception
  • special education

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Occupational Therapy

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