A team of researchers from TU Dresden and FU Berlin conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the connection between childhood maltreatment and the internal “sense” that allows us to perceive and understand the signals generated by our own bodies, known as interoception. The results have now been published in the journal “Nature Mental Health”. 

"My heart skipped a beat" — a phrase familiar to anyone who's ever received unexpected news — illustrates how bodily sensations are tied to our emotional experiences. Psychology describes the underlying phenomenon as interoception. This is the ability to perceive and interpret internal body signals such as heartbeat, breathing or stomach activity. This ability plays a central role in emotions, stress regulation and physical well-being. In science, the development and significance of interoception is still poorly understood. However, increasing evidence suggests that it is an important common risk factor for both mental and somatic disorders. 

The team at the Chair of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology at TU Dresden led by Prof. Anna-Lena Zietlow, has now conducted a meta-analysis of scientific studies to investigate whether there is a link between child maltreatment and interoception and which types of child maltreatment are particularly strongly associated with it. 

The research team analyzed data from 17 studies with a total of 3,705 participants. While no general link was found between child maltreatment and internal body perception, a link was found between maltreatment experiences and reduced body trust. This link was particularly strong for emotional abuse and neglect.  

First author Julia Ditzer explains: "Our results show that people who have experienced emotional abuse or emotional neglect in their childhood often report less trust in their own bodies. This can have far-reaching effects on mental health, as it can impair emotion regulation, perception of one's own needs and stress processing, for example. This could be one explanation for why those affected by abuse and maltreatment are at increased risk of developing mental disorders such as anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders or somatoform disorders.” Dr Ilka Böhm, team member in the Zietlow lab, adds: “Despite the long-term consequences, these forms of child maltreatment have not yet been given the attention they deserve. Unlike physical or sexual abuse, they are less visible.” Prof. Dr Anna-Lena Zietlow emphasizes: "We hope that our research will help to raise public and professional awareness of emotional abuse and neglect. Children need not only protection from physical violence, but also reliable and sensitive emotional care. Their emotional needs should be given much more attention, both in society and in research and preventive measures." 

Building on the results of the meta-analysis, the team is now conducting a study on the correlation between child maltreatment and interoception in adolescents aged 12–17. For more information: https://tu-dresden.de/mn/psychologie/ikpp/kinder-jugendpsychologie/forschung/Forschungsprojekte. 

Original publication: 
Ditzer, J., Woll, C. F. J., Burger, C., Ernst, A., Boehm, I., Garthus-Niegel, S., & Zietlow, A.-L. (2025). Childhood maltreatment and interoception: A meta-analytic review. Nature Mental Health. DOI: 10.1038/s44220-025-00456-w 

 Contact: 
Julia Ditzer 
Chair of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology 
Email:  
Tel. +49 351463 40313