Researchers at Trinity College Dublin are inviting adults with epilepsy in Ireland to take part in a study exploring the link between interoception (how we sense internal body signals, like our heartbeat) and emotional regulation.
The lead researcher of this project, Izzy Hodder, is a final-year psychology student in Trinity College Dublin. Izzy is also a person with epilepsy and is one of Epilepsy Ireland’s media volunteers. Izzy, and her friend Aaron(another media volunteer) shared their experiences of epilepsy with back in #EpilepsyWeek 2022 – you can read this story by visiting the ‘Life with Epilepsy’ section of our website.
We are very pleased to assist Izzy with the dissemination of her research which is investigating whether people with epilepsy experience differences in body awareness compared to people without epilepsy - and whether this awareness affects how we manage emotions.
Research suggests that being more aware of internal bodily signals may play a role in how we regulate our emotions. This process, called interoception, is still not well understood in people with epilepsy.
This study aims to compare interoceptive awareness in people with and without epilepsy, and to explore whether body awareness could be an important factor in supporting emotional health.
What will taking part involve?
You will be asked to attend a single research session (about 20 minutes) in the School of Psychology at Trinity College Dublin.
During the session, you will:
- Do a short heartbeat counting task.
- Fill in questionnaires about body awareness, emotional regulation, and mood.
Who can take part?
- Adults aged 18+
- People with a diagnosis of epilepsy, or people without epilepsy (control group).
If you are interested in taking part or would like more information, please email Izzy directly at hodderi@tcd.ie.
Thank you for considering taking part in this important research, and for supporting one of Epilepsy Ireland’s wonderful media volunteers. Your input could help researchers better understand the emotional experiences of people living with epilepsy and we would like to wish Izzy well with her continuing studies – and look forward to hearing more about the results.
In the meantime, should you need any information or support on your or your loved one’s journey with epilepsy, please do not hesitate to contact your local Community Resource Officer. You can find their details by visiting the ‘Our Local Service’ page on our website.