The mediating role of interoception in the relationship between anaemia-like symptoms and psychological distress in adults

This study investigated the relationship between anaemia-like symptoms and psychological distress, examining interoceptive awareness as a potential mediator in adults. A cross-sectional online questionnaire was administered to 312 non-clinical participants ( M = 38.26 years) from five countries (America, Britain, China, India, and Nigeria). Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between anaemia-like symptoms and psychological distress ( r = 0.55, p < 0.001). Furthermore, mediation analysis demonstrated that interoceptive awareness, particularly the “Not-Distracting” dimension, partially mediated this relationship ( β = 0.079). Individuals with higher anaemia-like symptoms scores reported greater avoidance of uncomfortable bodily sensations, which was in turn associated with greater psychological distress. A reversed mediation model testing psychological distress as a predictor of anaemia-like symptoms yielded a non-significant total indirect effect, suggesting the proposed model may better account for the observed mediation pattern. This study identified an association between physical symptoms and psychological outcomes through interoceptive awareness, particularly highlighting the role of avoidance of bodily sensations in the psychological well-being of individuals with anaemia-like symptoms.