40.0 Individual Differences in Environmental Sensitivity: Differential Susceptibility and the Role of Sensory-Processing Sensitivity

Background: Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a biologically based temperament trait associated with enhanced awareness and responsivity to environmental and social stimuli. Individuals with high SPS are more affected by their environments, which may result in overarousal, cognitive depletion, and fatigue. Method: We examined individual differences in resting-state (rs) brain connectivity (using functional MRI) as a function of SPS among a group of adults (M age = 66.13 ± 11.44 years) immediately after they completed a social affective “empathy” task. SPS was measured with the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Scale and correlated with rs brain connectivity. Results: Results showed enhanced rs brain connectivity within the ventral attention, dorsal attention, and limbic networks as a function of greater SPS. Region of interest analyses showed increased rs brain connectivity between the hippocampus and the precuneus (implicated in episodic memory); while weaker connectivity was shown between the amygdala and the periaqueductal gray (important for anxiety), and the hippocampus and insula (implicated in habitual cognitive processing). Conclusions: The present study showed that SPS is associated with rs brain connectivity implicated in attentional control, consolidation of memory, physiological homeostasis, and deliberative cognition. These results support theories proposing “depth of processing” as a central feature of SPS and highlight the neural processes underlying this cardinal feature of the trait.

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Sensory-Processing Sensitivity and COVID-19 Stress in a Young Population: The Mediating Role of Resilience

Personality and Individual Differences ◽

10.1016/j.paid.2021.111183 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 111183

Author(s):

Shuhei Iimura

Keyword(s):

Sensory Processing ◽

Young Population ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Sensory Processing Sensitivity

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Sensory processing sensitivity and culturally modified resilience education: Differential susceptibility in Japanese adolescents

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0239002 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (9) ◽

pp. e0239002

Author(s):

Chieko Kibe ◽

Miki Suzuki ◽

Mari Hirano ◽

Ilona Boniwell

Keyword(s):

Sensory Processing ◽

Differential Susceptibility ◽

Japanese Adolescents ◽

Sensory Processing Sensitivity

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Mediation role of alexithymia, sensory processing sensitivity and emotional-mental processes between childhood trauma and adult psychopathology: a self-report study

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-021-03532-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Pelin Karaca Dinç ◽

Seda Oktay ◽

Ayşegül Durak Batıgün

Keyword(s):

Childhood Trauma ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Psychological Symptoms ◽

Brief Symptom Inventory ◽

Mental Processes ◽

Sensory Processing Sensitivity ◽

Childhood Traumas ◽

The Relationship ◽

Adult Psychopathology

Abstract Background There is overwhelming evidence for a strong association between childhood trauma and adult psychopathology. This study aimed to investigate the mediation roles of alexithymia, sensory processing sensitivity, and emotional-mental processes in the relationship between childhood traumas and adult psychopathology. Methods The sample consisted of 337 people (78.9% female, 21.1% male) aged between 20 and 64 years. Participants filled the scales online via a Google form. Reading Mind in the Eyes (EYES), Sensory Processing Sensitivity Scale (SPS), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-26), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were used. PROCESS (Model 4) macro was used to examine the mediating role of sensory processing sensitivity, alexithymia, and the EYES test results in the relationship between childhood trauma and psychopathology. Results The results of mediation analysis demonstrated that sensory processing sensitivity and alexithymia mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and adult psychopathology. However, the EYES test (mentalization) did not mediate in this relationship. Conclusion This study shows that childhood traumas may relate to more psychological symptoms in individuals with high sensory processing sensitivity and alexithymia. Our study may contribute to the understanding of what may lead to a person’s vulnerability to experiencing psychological symptoms after childhood trauma. It may be crucial that future treatment and intervention programs should include sensory sensitivity and alexithymia. Sensory processing sensitivity and alexithymia can be examined in the treatment of psychological problems of individuals who have experienced childhood trauma.

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How do highly sensitive persons parent their adolescent children? The role of sensory processing sensitivity in parenting practices

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407520911101 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (6) ◽

pp. 1825-1842

Author(s):

Alon Goldberg ◽

Miri Scharf

Keyword(s):

Sensory Processing ◽

Parenting Practices ◽

Positive Parenting ◽

Attachment Anxiety ◽

Self Report ◽

Harsh Parenting ◽

Parenting Interventions ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

Sensory Processing Sensitivity

This research examines whether sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) in parents is associated with their parenting practices toward their adolescent children and whether attachment insecurity mediates the associations between SPS and parenting practices. One hundred twenty-one parent–adolescent dyads completed self-report questionnaires assessing parents’ SPS, parents’ adult attachment, and parenting practices. Results showed that SPS was positively associated with inconsistency, psychological intrusiveness, and attachment anxiety. Further, attachment anxiety mediated the association between parents’ SPS and harsh parenting and partially mediated the association between parents’ SPS and parental psychological intrusiveness. There is very little research on how highly sensitive individuals parent their children in general and none regarding the parenting of high-SPS individuals during challenging developmental periods such as their children’s adolescence. Findings suggest that parents high in SPS may experience this period as especially stressful and high SPS might contribute to the use of negative parenting. Interventions focused on regulating high-SPS parents’ stress and on facilitating parents in practicing separating their own and their children’s emotions could promote their use of more positive parenting practices.

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Burnout and professional quality of life among Israeli dentists: the role of sensory processing sensitivity

International Dental Journal ◽

10.1111/idj.12523 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 70 (1) ◽

pp. 29-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Joseph Meyerson ◽

Marc Gelkopf ◽

Ilana Eli ◽

Nir Uziel

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Professional Quality Of Life ◽

Professional Quality ◽

Sensory Processing Sensitivity

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Sensory Processing Sensitivity in the context of Environmental Sensitivity: A critical review and development of research agenda

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews ◽

10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.01.009 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 98 ◽

pp. 287-305 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Corina U. Greven ◽

Francesca Lionetti ◽

Charlotte Booth ◽

Elaine N. Aron ◽

Elaine Fox ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sensory Processing ◽

Critical Review ◽

Research Agenda ◽

Environmental Sensitivity ◽

Sensory Processing Sensitivity

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Mediation role of alexithymia, sensory processing sensitivity and emotional-mental processes between childhood trauma and adult psychopathology: a self-report study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-605863/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pelin KARACA DİNÇ ◽

Seda OKTAY ◽

Ayşegül DURAK BATIGÜN

Keyword(s):

Childhood Trauma ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Brief Symptom Inventory ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Mental Processes ◽

Sensory Processing Sensitivity ◽

Childhood Traumas ◽

The Relationship ◽

Adult Psychopathology

Abstract Background There is overwhelming evidence for a strong association between childhood trauma and adult psychopathology. This study aims to investigate the mediation roles of alexithymia, sensory processing sensitivity, and emotional-mental processes in the relationship between childhood traumas and adult psychopathology. Methods 337 people (78.9% female, 21.1% male) between the ages of 20–64 participated in this study. Participants filled the scales online via google form. Reading Mind in the Eyes (EYES), Sensory Processing Sensitivity Scale (SPS), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-26), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were used. SPSS Process (Model 4) was used to examine the mediating role of sensory processing sensitivity, alexithymia and the eyes test results in the relationship between childhood trauma and psychopathology. Results Sensory processing sensitivity and alexithymia have been found to mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and adult psychopathology. The eyes test (mentalization) was not found to have a mediating effect on this relationship. Conclusion This study shows that childhood traumas may relate more psychopathology in individuals with high sensory processing sensitivity and alexithymia. Our study may contribute to the understanding of what may lead to a person's vulnerability to experiencing psychopathology after childhood trauma. It may be important that future treatment and intervention programs should include sensory sensitivity and alexithymia. Sensory processing sensitivity and alexithymic characteristics of individuals can be examined in the treatment of psychological problems of individuals who have experienced childhood trauma.

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