Assessing body awareness and autonomic reactivity: Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Body Perception Questionnaire‐Short Form (BPQ‐SF)

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Cabrera, A., Kolacz, J., Pailhez, G., Bulbena‐Cabre, A., Bulbena, A., & Porges, S. W. (2018). Assessing body awareness and autonomic reactivity: factor structure and psychometric properties of the body perception questionnaire‐short form (bpq‐sf). International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 27(2). doi:10.1002/mpr.1596

Abstract

Body awareness and reactivity dysfunction are characteristic of a range of psychiatric disorders. Although the neural pathways communicating between the body and brain that contribute to these experiences involve the autonomic nervous system, few research tools for studying subjective bodily experiences have been informed by these neural circuits. This paper describes the factor structure, reliability, and convergent validity of the Body Awareness and Autonomic Reactivity subscales of the Body Perception Questionnaire‐Short Form (BPQ‐SF). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to data from three samples collected via the internet in Spain and the US and a college population in the US (combined n = 1320). Body awareness was described by a single factor. Autonomic reactivity reflected unique factors for organs above and below the diaphragm. Subscales showed strong reliability; converged with validation measures; and differed by age, sex, medication use, and self‐reported psychiatric disorder. Post hoc analyses were used to create the 12‐item Body Awareness Very Short Form. Results are discussed in relation to the distinct functions of supra‐ and sub‐diaphragmatic autonomic pathways as proposed by the Polyvagal Theory and their potential dysfunction in psychiatric disorders.

Authors

Ana Cabrera1
Jacek Kolacz1
Guillem Pailhez1
Andrea Bulbena‐Cabre1
Antonio Bulbena1
Stephen W. Porges1

What This Study Is About

This study looks at how we measure "interoception"—the way we sense and understand what is happening inside our own bodies, such as our heartbeat or digestion. Researchers wanted to create a shorter, more accurate version of a common questionnaire to help scientists better understand how people experience these internal physical sensations.

How They Studied It

The researchers analyzed data from 1,320 people across three different groups: an online group in Spain, an online group in the United States, and a group of American college students. Participants completed the Body Perception Questionnaire (BPQ), which asks how often they notice specific bodily sensations (like "watering of the eyes" or "stomach noises") and how their body reacts to stress. The team used statistical methods to narrow the long list of questions down to the most effective ones, creating the "BPQ-Short Form."

What They Found

The study successfully created a shortened version of the test that reliably measures two main things:

1. Body Awareness: A general sense of what is happening in the body.

2. Autonomic Reactivity: How the body’s "automatic" systems (like the heart and gut) react to the environment.

They found that women generally reported higher levels of body awareness than men. They also noticed that as people get older, their reported body awareness tends to decrease slightly. Additionally, people who reported having a psychiatric disorder (like anxiety or depression) tended to have higher scores, meaning they were more sensitive to their internal bodily signals.

What This Might Mean

These findings suggest that our "sixth sense" of internal body awareness is a distinct trait that can be measured accurately. While higher awareness can be helpful, for some people—especially those with certain mental health conditions—being overly tuned into every internal sensation might be linked to feeling more stressed or anxious. This shorter test makes it easier for future researchers to study how interoception relates to different conditions, including aphantasia, where some people report having a "dimmed" sense of internal bodily feelings alongside their lack of mental imagery.

One Interesting Detail

The researchers found that our body's stress reactions actually split into two distinct categories: things happening above the diaphragm (like a racing heart or dry mouth) and things happening below it (like "butterflies" in the stomach or digestive shifts). This matches how our nervous system is physically wired to different organs.

Assessing body awareness and autonomic reactivity: Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Body Perception Questionnaire‐Short Form (BPQ‐SF)

Abstract

Authors

Assessing body awareness and autonomic reactivity: Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Body Perception Questionnaire‐Short Form (BPQ‐SF)

Abstract

Authors

Assessing body awareness and autonomic reactivity: Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Body Perception Questionnaire‐Short Form (BPQ‐SF)

Abstract

Authors

Assessing body awareness and autonomic reactivity: Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Body Perception Questionnaire‐Short Form (BPQ‐SF)

Abstract

Authors

What This Study Is About

How They Studied It

What They Found

What This Might Mean

One Interesting Detail

What This Study Is About

How They Studied It

What They Found

What This Might Mean

One Interesting Detail

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