Exploring sensory processing sensitivity: Relationships with mental and somatic health, interactions with positive and negative environments, and evidence for differential susceptibility
Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, vol. 8, pp. 100165
Abstract
• SPS relates to more stress, burnout, anxiety, and ill-health symptoms. • SPS is not associated with total ADHD or autistic traits. • SPS subscales show small associations with neurodevelopmental trait subscales. • Higher SPS relates to more autistic traits in negative environments. • Higher SPS relates to more life satisfaction in positive environments. Environment may play a role in how the evolutionarily conserved personality trait sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) relates to health. Nevertheless, there has been no comprehensive investigation of the relationships between SPS and mental and somatic health outcomes in a large sample, while accounting for neuroticism and environmental variables. To better understand susceptibility to positive and negative environments, we systematically investigated associations between SPS and several health-related outcomes: stress-related traits, neurodevelopmental (ADHD and autistic) traits, well-being, and somatic health in 252 adults (ages 30–39 years) from a population-based sample. We then evaluated how environmental factors modify those relationships by testing SPS interactions with lifetime or current measures of positive or negative environments. Finally, we formally tested whether SPS is a factor for differential susceptibility. Notably, we found that higher SPS related to more burnout, anxiety, depression, stress, health complaints, and nonprescription medication use but not to total neurodevelopmental traits. Even after controlling for neuroticism, burnout, anxiety, and health complaints associations with SPS remained significant. We also found small to modest associations between SPS subscales and neurodevelopmental trait subscales. Of note, in unfavorable environments (threatening life events), higher SPS related to more autistic traits. In favorable environments (social support), SPS related to more life satisfaction, supporting the theory of SPS as a factor for differential susceptibility to environments. This study illustrates that SPS may be a risk factor for stress-related and somatic symptoms, independent of neuroticism. We conclude that SPS may moderate sensitivity to environments, possibly as an adaptation factor, enabling highly sensitive individuals to be more malleable to environmental influences.
Authors 10
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Christienne G. Damatac corresponding
Radboud University Nijmegen · Radboud University Medical Center · Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour
Affiliation as printed
Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Radboud University Nijmegen · Radboud University Medical Center · Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour
Affiliation as printed
Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Tom F. Wilderjans Aachen Methodology and Statistics Research Unit Institute of Psychology Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Affiliation as printed
Methodology and Statistics Research Unit, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Rapenburg 70, 2311, EZ, Leiden, the Netherlands
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Véronique De Gucht Aachen Research Group of Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Institute of Psychology, Leiden University
Affiliation as printed
Research Group of Health, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Rapenburg 70, 2311, EZ, Leiden, the Netherlands
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Dion H. A. Woestenburg Aachen Methodology and Statistics Research Unit Institute of Psychology Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Affiliation as printed
Methodology and Statistics Research Unit, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Rapenburg 70, 2311, EZ, Leiden, the Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Institute for Science in Society, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Toernooiveld 5, 6525, ED, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Radboud University Nijmegen · Radboud University Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Department of IQ Health, Radboud University Medical Center, Post 133, P.O. Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Radboud University Nijmegen · Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour
Affiliation as printed
Department of Artificial Intelligence, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Thomas van Aquinostraat 4, Postbus 9104, 6500, HE, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Radboud University Nijmegen · Radboud University Medical Center · Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour
Affiliation as printed
Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Radboud University Nijmegen · Radboud University Medical Center · Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour
Affiliation as printed
Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, 6525, EN, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Centre, Reinier Postlaan 12, 6525, GC, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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