A study of the relationship between interoceptive sensibility and distress tolerance in community and college samples

Author

William Moore, University of Tennessee at ChattanoogaFollow

Project Director

Howell, Ashley

Department Examiner

Arnold, Tomorrow

Department

Dept. of Psychology

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

Interoceptive sensibility (IS) involves the detection, integration, and interpretation of internal bodily signals, primarily from cardiovascular, pulmonary, or gastrointestinal systems. Dysfunction in interoceptive processing has been increasingly recognized as a clinically relevant factor in numerous neurological, psychiatric, and behavioral disorders. This thesis aimed to elucidate the relationship between interoceptive sensibility and distress tolerance, hypothesizing that individuals with heightened interoceptive sensibility may exhibit poorer distress tolerance, potentially influencing emotional regulation and maladaptive coping mechanisms. To explore these relationships, two studies have been conducted utilizing self-report measures of interoceptive sensibility and distress tolerance in community and college samples. In a study of college students, a significant positive correlation between interoceptive sensibility and poorer distress tolerance. In a study recruiting participants from a south-eastern United States metropolitan area, a non-significant positive relationship between interoceptive sensibility and poorer distress tolerance. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Dr. Ashley Howell for being my director and providing friendly support and guidance. Thanks for Dr. Tomorrow Arnold for her generous donation of time and effort in service of reviewing my work.

IRB Number

23-099

Degree

B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Date

5-2024

Subject

Adjustment (Psychology); College students--Psychology; Interoception; Regulatory focus (Psychology); Security (Psychology); Stress (Psychology)

Keyword

interoceptive Sensibility; emotional regulation; distress tolerance; body awareness; college sample; community sample

Discipline

Clinical Psychology

Document Type

Theses

Extent

iii, 36 leaves

DCMI Type

Text

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Date Available

1-1-2026

Recommended Citation

Moore, William, "A study of the relationship between interoceptive sensibility and distress tolerance in community and college samples" (2024). Honors Theses.
https://scholar.utc.edu/honors-theses/485