Embodied communication and intersubjectivity: phenomenological-dynamic foundations, neurobiological correlates and clinical implications of the Italian version of Fuchs & Koch’s Embodied Intersubjectivity Scale
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4396/2025207Keywords:
embodiment, intersubjectivity, empathy, emotions, psychometricsAbstract
Intersubjectivity, intended as the embodied and reciprocal communication between individuals, emerges early in life and is fundamental to social and emotional development. This process involves both pre-reflective bodily attunement and higher-order cognitive functions. Theoretical frameworks including existential-phenomenology and psychodynamic Multiple Code Theory emphasize the role of the lived body and pre-reflexive processes as the implicit foundation of linguistic communication and intersubjective experiences. Neurobiological evidence supports these views, highlighting systems like the Mirror Neuron System and mentalization networks. Disruptions in embodied intersubjectivity are common across psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia spectrum disorders, major depression, and eating disorders. These alterations underscore the diagnostic and therapeutic relevance of assessing embodied intersubjectivity in clinical settings. Integrating multidisciplinary perspectives may enhance our understanding of intersubjective dysfunctions and guide the development of innovative assessment tools. Therefore, we present the Italian version of Fuchs & Koch’s Embodied Intersubjectivity Scale. The scale was administered to a community sample of 178 participants, with the aim of testing the fit of the original one-factor model, as well as examining the scale’s reliability and its convergent and divergent validity. Interestingly, the findings indicated that a two-factor model – distinguishing between other-related experiences and self/world-related experiences – provided a better fit to the data. The Italian version of the EIS demonstrated solid reliability and showed positive correlations with measures of empathy, perceived empathic and social self-efficacy, and anomalous world-experiences. Overall, the 10-item Italian adaptation of the EIS appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing embodied intersubjectivity within Italian-speaking populations.
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