Klein Marlene, Witthöft Michael, Jungmann Stefanie Maria
Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Experimental Psychopathology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy of Childhood and Adolescence, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Front Psychiatry. 2025 Aug 20;16:1573263. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1573263. eCollection 2025.
This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesize current research on interoception in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across the lifespan. A total of 31 studies meeting stringent inclusion and quality criteria were identified, incorporating both descriptive and numerical analyses of cardiac interoceptive accuracy (cIA), interoceptive sensibility (IS), and interoceptive awareness (IAW) in children, adolescents, and adults with ASD. The meta-analysis of five adult studies using comparable assessment tools found no significant differences in cIA between adults with ASD and neurotypically developed (NTD) controls [ = 5; = -.21 (SE = .11), = .06]. Descriptive summaries of studies in children and adolescents, as well as those examining IS and IAW across age groups, revealed inconsistent findings-some studies reported reduced, increased, or similar interoceptive abilities in ASD compared to NTD. Methodological diversity, differences in measurement instruments, and variability in sample characteristics likely contribute to these inconsistencies. Moderator variables such as age, intelligence quotient (IQ), and comorbidities may influence interoceptive outcomes. Overall, the evidence indicates that ASD is not systematically associated with altered cIA, and the relationship between ASD and other interoceptive dimensions remains unclear. These findings underscore the need for more standardized methodologies and longitudinal research to clarify developmental trajectories and potential clinical implications of interoceptive processing in ASD. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms could lead interventions aimed at improving emotion regulation and social functioning in ASD.
https://osf.io/f3ru4, identifier [doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/F3RU4].
本系统评价和荟萃分析综合了目前关于自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）个体全生命周期内的内感受性研究。共确定了31项符合严格纳入和质量标准的研究，纳入了对ASD儿童、青少年和成人心脏内感受性准确性（cIA）、内感受性敏感性（IS）和内感受性意识（IAW）的描述性和数值分析。对五项使用可比评估工具的成人研究进行的荟萃分析发现，ASD成人与神经典型发育（NTD）对照在cIA方面无显著差异[ = 5； = -.21（标准误 = .11）， = .06]。儿童和青少年研究以及跨年龄组检查IS和IAW的描述性总结显示结果不一致——一些研究报告称，与NTD相比，ASD的内感受性能力降低、增加或相似。方法学的多样性、测量工具的差异以及样本特征的变异性可能导致了这些不一致。年龄、智商（IQ）和共病等调节变量可能会影响内感受性结果。总体而言，证据表明ASD与cIA改变没有系统性关联，ASD与其他内感受性维度之间的关系仍不清楚。这些发现强调需要更标准化的方法和纵向研究，以阐明ASD内感受性处理的发展轨迹和潜在临床意义。对这些机制的更深入理解可能会带来旨在改善ASD情绪调节和社交功能的干预措施。
