Environmental Sensitivity in Adults: Psychometric Properties of the Japanese Version of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale 10-Item Version

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Spanish sensory processing sensitivity questionnaire (S-SPSQ)

Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is a temperament trait rooted in biology, and is distinguished by heightened awareness, emotional responsiveness, and sensitivity to environmental stimuli. In this study, we aimed to enable the assessment of SPS within Spanish-speaking populations. To achieve this, we translated, adapted, and validated the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire (SPSQ), which offers a comprehensive evaluation of SPS, encompassing both positive and negative aspects of the trait. Participants were 1,004 (844 females, mean age 37) mainly from Chile (964), and 40 were from other Spanish-speaking regions. Confirmatory factor analysis, utilizing the diagonally weighted least squares method, was applied to validate the internal structure of the Spanish version of the SPSQ (S-SPSQ). Fit indices such as GFI, CFI, TLI, RMSEA, and SRMR were scrutinized. Reliability assessment utilized Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's Omega. Three models were examined: Model I (six factors) displayed robustness, Model II (six factors plus a general factor) did not show substantive improvement, and Model III (Higher Order and Bifactor) excelled in fit while balancing complexity and representation, thus validating the findings of the original SPSQ and indicating similar reliability coefficients. The study offers a balanced perspective on SPS and contributes to cross-cultural validation of an SPS instrument which may facilitate research and guide personalized therapeutic interventions, thus enhancing outcomes for highly sensitive persons.

The General Factor of Environmental Sensitivity: Relationships with the General Factor of Personality

Environmental sensitivity is a meta-concept that describes individual differences in susceptibility to both positive and negative environmental influences and has been repeatedly reported to correlate with other established personality traits, including the Big Five. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between the general factor of environmental sensitivity (GFS) and the general factor of personality (GFP). A total of 1,046 adult participants (52% female; Mage = 45.15, SDage = 12.70) completed a self-report psychological questionnaire on an online form. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that GFS had a strong negative correlation with GFP (r = -.41, 95% CI [-.52, -.30], p < .001). Focusing on the relationship with the Big Five, individuals with higher environmental sensitivity were emotionally unstable and introverted. The trait of environmental sensitivity may be described not only in relation to the Big Five but also in relation to GFP, which is assumed to be an indicator of social effectiveness.

Individual differences in environmental sensitivity: associations between cognitive emotion regulation and mental health

Introduction

Environmental sensitivity is defined as the ability to perceive and process internal and external information. Previous studies have suggested that mental health-related factors differ by sensitivity level. This study aimed to investigate whether environmental sensitivity moderates the associations between cognitive emotion regulation strategies (e.g., rumination and blaming others) and mental health.

Materials and methods

In this three-wave longitudinal study, participants (N = 1,233, 585, and 349 at Times 1, 2, and 3, respectively) completed the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire-short and Kessler 10 scale at all the measurement points as well as the 10-item version of the Highly Sensitive Person scale and some covariates only at Time 1.

Results

Latent growth model analyses indicated that the blaming others strategy had contrastive effects on changes in mental health by sensitivity level; the increase in refocusing on planning was associated with improved mental health over time only for highly sensitive individuals; and the rumination and catastrophizing strategies were the most important risk factors for mental health problems, although their effects differed slightly by sensitivity level.

Conclusion

The associations between some of the cognitive strategies and mental health differ by environmental sensitivity level. Future investigations based on individual differences in sensitivity could provide innovative insights into practices.

Spending time in the forest or the field: qualitative semi-structured interviews in a randomized controlled cross-over trial with highly sensitive persons

Introduction

The effects of spending time in forests have been subject to investigations in various countries around the world. Qualitative comparisons have been rarely done so far.

Methods

Sixteen healthy highly sensitive persons (SV12 score ≥ 18) aged between 18 and 70 years were randomly assigned to groups spending 1 h in the forest and in the field at intervals of one week. Semi-structured interviews were conducted after each intervention and analyzed using a mixed-methods approach of content analysis and grounded theory.

Results

Both natural environments induced feelings of inner calmness, inner cleansing, joy, freedom, connectedness, strengthening qualities, and heightened body awareness. The forest environment additionally offered emotional shelter, and showed advantages in promoting inner strength and self-concentration.

Discussion

People with previous negative experiences in the forest may feel safer in fields because of the wider view and better overview. Important preconditions are enough time and the absence of a judgmental authority. The two environments induced in part different but also similar emotions which might be useful to promote psychological well-being differentially.

Interactions between environmental sensitivity and gut microbiota are associated with biomarkers of stress-related psychiatric symptoms

BACKGROUND

Humans vary in their sensitivity to stressful and supportive environments and experiences. Such individual differences in environmental sensitivity are associated with mechanisms of stress-related psychiatric symptoms. In recent years, researchers have focused on bidirectional interactions in the brain-gut-microbiota axis as a neurophysiological pathway contributing to the mechanisms of stress-related psychiatric symptoms, and evidence is rapidly accumulating.

METHODS

Data on environmental sensitivity, gut microbiota, gut permeability (lipopolysaccharide-binding protein; LBP) and inflammation (C-reactive protein; CRP) were collected from 90 adults (50 % female; Mage = 42.1; SDage = 10.0). Environmental sensitivity was measured using a self-report questionnaire. Study participants' feces were analyzed, and observed operational taxonomic units for richness, Shannon's index for evenness, and phylogenetic diversity for biodiversity were evaluated as indicators of gut microbiota. In addition, participants' serum was analyzed for CRP and LBP. We investigated whether the interaction between environmental sensitivity and gut microbiota is associated with biomarkers of inflammation and gut permeability.

RESULTS

The interaction between environmental sensitivity and gut microbiota (excluding the Shannon's index) explained the levels of these biomarkers. Individuals with high environmental sensitivity displayed higher levels of CRP and LBP, when the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota was low. However, even highly susceptible individuals had lower levels of CRP and LBP, when the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota was high.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates that high environmental sensitivity can be a risk factor for inflammation and gut permeability, when the gut microbiota diversity is low, suggesting a brain-gut-microbiota axis interaction.

Signaling High Sensitivity to Influence Others: Initial Evidence for the Roles of Reinforcement Sensitivity, Sensory Processing Sensitivity, and the Dark Triad

Signaling high sensitivity to others may help individuals with heightened sensitivity to stimuli to craft their social relations to a preferred activation level ("assertive signaling of specific needs" hypothesis). Signaling sensitivity could be also a deceptive strategy helping to extract resources or obtain the desired treatment ("deceptive signaling" hypothesis). The study presents the construction of the measure of signaling high sensitivity to influence others and an initial test of both hypotheses. Two hundred and one participants ranging in age from 18 to 67 (M = 25.6; SD = 7.03) reported on their reinforcement sensitivity (behavioral approach and inhibition system), sensory processing sensitivity, and the Dark Triad. Signaling high sensitivity to influence others was weakly, but significantly, associated with behavioral inhibition system sensitivity, which was consistent with the "assertive signaling of specific needs" hypothesis. The behavioral approach system was positively correlated with signaling high sensitivity, which indicated that this influence strategy could be treated as an assertive self-presentational strategy helping in achieving social rewards for individuals with high reward responsiveness. Narcissism and psychopathy accounted for an additional amount of variance in signaling high sensitivity over and beyond reinforcement sensitivity. This was consistent with the "deceptive signaling" hypothesis. Signaling high sensitivity could be regarded as a strategy to achieve social goals using deception rather than as an expression of sensitive personality.

Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Japanese Adults

BACKGROUND

Sensory processing sensitivity is a personality or temperamental trait defined as individual differences in the tendency to perceive and process both positive and negative stimuli and experiences. Studies have shown that high sensitivity is correlated with psychosocial health, including depression and anxiety. However, its relationship with physical health has not been clarified. To fill this gap, using a large sample size with sufficient statistical power, an adult sample not including university students, and a range of covariates, this study examined the association between gastrointestinal symptoms as an indicator of physical health and sensory processing sensitivity.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, the participants were 863 Japanese adults (female = 450; male = 413; M_age = 30.4 years; SD = 4.9) who completed a web-based questionnaire. We statistically controlled for sociodemographic characteristics and examined whether sensory processing sensitivity is correlated with gastrointestinal symptoms.

RESULTS

The results showed that highly sensitive individuals were more likely to experience a wide range of gastrointestinal symptoms in the past week, including reflux symptoms, abdominal pain, indigestion symptoms, diarrhea symptoms, and constipation symptoms, even when statistically controlling for the participants' sociodemographic characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that high sensory processing sensitivity is associated with physical health. Some of the potential causes of this are also discussed.