Developing interoception: From caregiving to clinical outcomes

Abstract Interoception—the sensing and integration of internal bodily signals—emerges in infancy and is linked to dyadic processes. However, accounts of how dyadic processes shape interoception beyond infancy and link to later psychopathology are limited. In this article, we argue that dyadic processes are central to interoceptive development and psychopathology. We propose that caregivers’ interoceptive granularity—the capacity to detect and differentiate subtle changes in a child's bodily state—may support prompt, well-matched responding within caregiver–child interactions. Across development, co-­regulation may be internalized as self-regulation, whereas disrupted co-regulation may consolidate into persistent regulatory difficulties and vulnerability to psychopathology. This model provides an empirically grounded account linking dyadic processes, interoceptive development, and psychopathology.