Interoception and Emotion Regulation

The goal of this observational study is to examine the role of interoception in emotion regulation of negative mood in individuals with acquired brain injury and healthy individuals.Participants will fulfill several questionnaires and perform the Heartbeat Counting Task. Then, they will receive a negative mood induction procedure, after which they will be instructed to perform a spontaneous emotion regulation task. The mood will be assessed before and after the induction, as well as after the emotion regulation task. It is expected that greater interoceptive abilities will show a greater reduction of negative mood after the emotion regulation task than individuals with lower interoceptive abilities.Researchers will compare these relationships with those occurring in healthy individuals to see if the role of interception in regulating emotions changes after brain damage.

Inclusion Criteria for the clinical group:Having a diagnosis of a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) as evidenced by neuroimaging (i.e., computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging).Aged above 18Absent symptoms of depression as described by scores ≤ 8 in the depression dimension of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (Terol-Cantero et al., 2015; Zigmond & Snaith, 1983)Moderate to good cognitive and language functioning to ensure an adequate following of instructions of the study procedures successfully.Exclusion Criteria for the clinical group:History of psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, or neurological disorders other than stroke or traumatic brain injuryA medical condition that prevents participation in this studyHistory of traumatic event exposure as self-reported.Inclusion Criteria for the control group:Aged above 18Absent symptoms of depression as described by scores ≤ 8 in the depression dimension of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (Terol-Cantero et al., 2015; Zigmond & Snaith, 1983)Not having cognitive, psychiatric, or neurological impairments (self-reported by participants)Exclusion Criteria for the control group:History of/current substance abuseA medical condition that prevents participation in this studyHistory of traumatic event exposure as self-reported.