Validity and Reliability of the Heart Rate Matching Task: A Novel Measure of Heart Rate Estimation

Abstract

Sensing and monitoring changes in our heart rate is a key aspect of interoception. We introduce and test the construct validity of the Heart Rate Matching task (HRM), a novel, fast and accessible task designed to assess the ability to estimate heart rate, in both remote (i.e., online) and in-lab settings. In the first lab experiment, under- and over-estimations of the heart rate were not significantly correlated with two interoceptive tasks designed to assess perception of individual heartbeats; the adapted Heartbeat Counting and the Multi-Interval Heartbeat Discrimination tasks. A second experiment conducted online in a large sample, found moderate significant correlations between Heart Rate Matching and the original Heartbeat Counting task. The HRM also correlated with a matched exteroceptive task, highlighting involvement of shared multi-sensory integration processes. The third experiment demonstrated good test–retest reliability of the HRM and moderate correlations with the Heart Rate Discrimination task, also thought to assess the estimation of heart rate. Taken together, these data suggest acceptable validity and moderate reliability of the Heart Rate Matching task and fit with an interpretation of the task as a measure of heart rate beliefs.