Exploration of Children’s Interoception, Emotional Regulation, or Anxiety and Occupational Participation: A Scoping Review with Narrative Synthesis

During the primary school years, children develop skills and body functions which support their occupational participation in activities like play, self-care, academic learning, social participation, and sleep. Interoception, emotional regulation and anxiety management skills are three body functions that underpin children's occupational participation and performance. This scoping review explored what is known in the published and grey literature about the relationship between interoception and emotional regulation or anxiety, and occupational participation in school-aged children. The review followed the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines for reporting and the methodology was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Methodology for Scoping Reviews. Evidence which met the inclusion criteria were critically appraised using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool and analyzed using narrative synthesis. Two themes with the capacity to impact childhood occupational participation emerged: (i) interoception and emotional regulation may be related, and (ii) education may improve interoceptive awareness. No anxiety-related themes were identified. This review supports the need for further research to understand the relationship between children's interoception, their ability to regulate their emotions and anxiety, and their impact childhood occupational participation.