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Virginia Tech

Multidimensional Cardioception and Trait Anxiety: Potential Clues from Baroreflex Sensitivity

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Interoception, the perception of the body's physiological state, is often studied in relation to emotion processing. Particularly, cardioception has been largely implicated in anxiety. Three related but distinct dimensions of interoception have recently emerged in the literature: sensibility (IS), accuracy (IAC), and awareness (IAW). Divergent findings regarding interoception and anxiety may result from lacking appreciation for interoceptive dimensions. Additionally, the role of cardiovascular afferent feedback in anxiety and interoception is largely unknown. Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) has been implicated in interoceptive processes yet no known research directly measures this in relation to multidimensional cardioception. The present study aimed to assess the degree to which IS, IAC, IAW, and BRS predict trait anxiety at rest and during anticipatory anxiety. Results partially suggest increased IAC and BRS, but more variable IS and IAW in relation to trait anxiety. Overall, results show complex associations among factors, suggesting increased specificity among the constructs. Results highlight the importance of attention to construct validity and method variance in the study of interoceptive subdomains. Finally, the present study helps to pave the way for continued investigations concerning cardioception in enduring anxiety and the related role of the baroreflex in cardiac afferent processes.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
PHD
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Psychology
Department dc:contributor.department
Psychology
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2018

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Grant, Shara Soyini
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Friedman, Bruce H.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Diana, Rachel A.
  • Bell, Martha Ann
  • Jones, Russell T.

Subjects

dc:subject × 7

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:16719
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/96657

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Grant, Shara Soyini. Multidimensional Cardioception and Trait Anxiety: Potential Clues from Baroreflex Sensitivity. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/96657