Interoceptive Accuracy in Youth with Tic Disorders: Exploring Links with Premonitory Urge, Anxiety and Quality of Life

Abstract

Aberrant interoceptive accuracy could contribute to the co-occurrence of anxiety and premonitory urge in chronic tic disorders (CTD). If it can be manipulated through intervention, it would offer a transdiagnostic treatment target for tics and anxiety. Interoceptive accuracy was first assessed consistent with previous protocols and then re-assessed following an instruction attempting to experimentally enhance awareness. The CTD group demonstrated lower interoceptive accuracy than controls but, importantly, this group difference was no longer significant following instruction. In the CTD group, better interoceptive accuracy was associated with higher anxiety and lower quality of life, but not with premonitory urge. Aberrant interoceptive accuracy may represent an underlying trait in CTD that can be manipulated, and relates to anxiety and quality of life.