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Boele S, Bülow A, de Haan A, Denissen JJA, Keijsers L. Better, for worse, or both? Testing environmental sensitivity models with parenting at the level of individual families. Dev Psychopathol 2024; 36:674-690. [PMID: 36734225 PMCID: PMC7616005 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579422001493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
According to environmental sensitivity models, children vary in responsivity to parenting. However, different models propose different patterns, with responsivity to primarily: (1) adverse parenting (adverse sensitive); or (2) supportive parenting (vantage sensitive); or (3) to both (differentially susceptible). This preregistered study tested whether these three responsivity patterns coexist. We used intensive longitudinal data of Dutch adolescents (N = 256, Mage = 14.8, 72% female) who bi-weekly reported on adverse and supportive parenting and their psychological functioning (tmean = 17.7, tmax = 26). Dynamic Structural Equation Models (DSEM) indeed revealed differential parenting effects. As hypothesized, we found that all three responsivity patterns coexisted in our sample: 5% were adverse sensitive, 3% vantage sensitive, and 26% differentially susceptible. No adolescent appeared unsusceptible, however. Instead, we labeled 28% as unperceptive, because they did not perceive any changes in parenting and scored lower on trait environmental sensitivity than others. Furthermore, unexpected patterns emerged, with 37% responding contrary to parenting theories (e.g., decreased psychological functioning after more parental support). Sensitivity analyses with concurrent effects and parent-reported parenting were performed. Overall, findings indicate that theorized responsivity-to-parenting patterns might coexist in the population, and that there are other, previously undetected patterns that go beyond environmental sensitivity models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah Boele
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam
| | - Anne Bülow
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam
| | - Amaranta de Haan
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam
| | | | - Loes Keijsers
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam
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2
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Biedermann V, Zentner M. Assessing Temperament Risk Factors in Late Childhood and Early Adolescence: Development and Validation of the Integrative Late Childhood Temperament Inventory. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024:10.1007/s10578-024-01675-5. [PMID: 38619753 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-024-01675-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Childhood temperament has a well-documented influence on later life outcomes, notably behavior problems, quality of interpersonal relationships, and academic achievement. However, there is at present a lack of brief measures that assess temperament characteristics which are represented across models of temperament in the late childhood and early adolescence period. To redress this gap, the aim of the current study was to develop and validate a short questionnaire that extends an earlier integrative measure of temperament, the Integrative Child Temperament Inventory (ICTI) to the late childhood period. The new measure (named Integrative Late Childhood Temperament Inventory, ILCTI) includes all five components of the ICTI (frustration, behavioral inhibition, attention/persistence, activity level, sensory sensitivity), plus affiliation. German- or English-speaking parents rated a total of 525 children, aged 8 to 14 years. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the predicted structure of the new measure. Examination of fit indices and psychometric analyses showed that 24 items are sufficient to capture all six dimensions reliably. Next to convergent validity with established measures of temperament and personality, we also present analyses of associations with measures of externalizing problems, internalizing problems, and school failure all of which support the instrument's clinical utility. Thus, despite its brevity, the ILCTI is a reliable and valid measure of late childhood temperament that can be helpful in assessing risk of developing behavior problems or school failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivienne Biedermann
- Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Universitätsstrasse 15, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Marcel Zentner
- Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Universitätsstrasse 15, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
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Iimura S, Yano K. The General Factor of Environmental Sensitivity: Relationships with the General Factor of Personality. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 22:14747049241254727. [PMID: 38780356 PMCID: PMC11119410 DOI: 10.1177/14747049241254727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kosuke Yano
- National Institution for Youth Education, Tokyo, Japan
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Sbeglia C, Smith CD, Frick PJ, Steinberg L, Cauffman E. Too sensitive or not sensitive enough? Sensitivity to context and justice-involved youths' response to violence exposure. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2024. [PMID: 38500240 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paul J Frick
- Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
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Iimura S, Yano K, Ishii Y. Environmental Sensitivity in Adults: Psychometric Properties of the Japanese Version of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale 10-Item Version. J Pers Assess 2023; 105:87-99. [PMID: 35286222 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2022.2047988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Environmental Sensitivity, which explains individual differences in the tendency to respond more to both positive and negative environmental influences, can be measured by the self-reported Highly Sensitive Person scale. This paper introduced psychometric properties of a brief Japanese version of a 10-item measure of sensitivity (HSP-J10) developed by four studies involving 2,388 adults. The results showed that (1) the newly created HSP-J10 supported the bifactor structure (i.e., Ease of Excitation, Low Sensory Threshold, Esthetic Sensitivity, plus General Sensitivity factor), (2) the HSP-J10 correlated with but discriminated against other personality traits and affects, (3) it had high temporal stability, and (4) participants who scored higher on the HSP-J10 showed significant increases in positive emotion from before watching a video with positive content to after, while those who scored low showed no significant change in positive emotion. It demonstrated the new scale's good psychometric properties in that it moderated outcomes as theoretically expected when the environment was experimentally manipulated. The four studies suggested that the newly created HSP-J10 might adequately measure individual differences in adults' Environmental Sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhei Iimura
- Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kosuke Yano
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan.,Graduate School of Community and Human Services, Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukiko Ishii
- Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Dong Q, Zhou L, Wang W, Wei X, Pluess M, Ma X. Development and Validation of the Chinese Version of the Highly Sensitive Child Scale: Understanding environmental sensitivity and depressive symptoms in adolescents. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:999150. [PMID: 36545039 PMCID: PMC9760681 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.999150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Environmental sensitivity (ES) is considered a significant personality factor in the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms in adolescents. However, a clear instrument that can capture ES in Chinese adolescents is lacking. The current study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the Highly Sensitive Child (HSC) Scale for assessing adolescent ES, and explore the potential moderation effect of ES on relationships between maternal behaviors and adolescent depressive symptoms. Methods In total, 2,166 students from four middle and high schools and 105 depressed adolescents completed measurements of environmental sensitivity, maternal behaviors, depressive emotions, sleep duration, and academic performance. Results First, exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the HSC scale had a good model fit with the bifactor construct, total scale reliability was adequate-good, and measurement invariances across genders and different samples were supported. Furthermore, the results confirmed that the relationship between maternal behaviors and adolescent depressive symptoms had small effects. Compared to low environmentally sensitive adolescents, high environmentally sensitive adolescents exhibited less depressive emotions and better academic performance in the context of high-quality maternal behaviors. Low-quality maternal behaviors significantly predicted increased depressive emotions and worse academic performance in adolescents when environmental sensitivity was high. Moreover, on the contrary, maternal behaviors did not influence depressive emotions and academic performance in adolescents who were less sensitive to their environment. The relationship between maternal behaviors and adolescent depressive symptoms is influenced by different levels of environmental sensitivity. Conclusion Our findings support the HSC scale as a comprehensive and psychometrically robust tool to measure ES in Chinese adolescents. In addition, the present study clarifies the moderating role of environmental sensitivity underlying the relationship between maternal behaviors and adolescent depressive symptoms. It is important to consider the role of ES in prevention and intervention strategies targeting adolescent depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Dong
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lina Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xin Wei
- Xi’an No.3 Middle School, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Michael Pluess
- Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics, London, United Kingdom
| | - Xiancang Ma
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
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Baryła-Matejczuk M, Porzak R, Poleszak W. HSPS-10-Short Version of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale for Students Aged 12-25 Years. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15775. [PMID: 36497849 PMCID: PMC9739996 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the article is to present a short version of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS-10) as a useful tool for the assessment of adolescents and young adults and to improve their self-awareness. (1) Background: The original American HSPS was developed as a tool for the assessment of Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS), which is understood to be an inherited temperamental trait. The basis for the research is the concept of SPS, which may be included within the broader construct of the Environmental Sensitivity (ES) model. (2) Methods: The research used a Polish-language, short version developed on the basis of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale, where the respondents answered 10 questions in a 7-point Likert scale. (3) Results: The test results show that the Polish, HSPS-10 is a reliable and valid measurement of the SPS construct and that the results obtained using the abbreviated version indicate a three-factor structure. The structure and psychometric properties of the tool are consistent across different age groups. (4) Conclusions: HSPS-10 is a simple and quick tool for group screenings as well as the individual assessment of school students and adults aged 12-25. The developed standardized procedure allows for the early recognition and identification of changes in the SPS over the course of life.
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Schaefer M, Kühnel A, Gärtner M. Sensory processing sensitivity and somatosensory brain activation when feeling touch. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12024. [PMID: 35835782 PMCID: PMC9283459 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15497-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory processing sensitivity is described as a personality trait associated with a high sensitivity to environmental and social stimuli. It has been assumed that about 15–20% of the total population can be described as highly sensitive. The concept states that those individuals represent a higher sensitivity to subtle stimuli, thereby exhibiting a different somatic sensation. Here we aim to test the assumption that the brain’s sensory perception is different in individuals with high sensory processing sensitivity. We used a German version of the Highly Sensitive Person scale to measure sensory processing sensitivity. Furthermore, we assessed the Big Five personality dimensions and trait empathy (using IRI). To test the hypothesis that the brain’s handling of sensory information is different in individuals with high sensory-processing sensitivity, we scanned participant’s brain activity with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they were touched by an experimenter’s hand. Results showed positive correlations of sensory processing sensitivity with neuroticism, openness, and empathy. Introversion was not a significant predictor. Neuroimaging data demonstrated that sensory processing sensitivity (controlled for associated personality dimensions) was not related to primary or secondary somatosensory BOLD responses, but positively associated with BOLD activity in left posterior insular cortex. Based on these results we conclude that sensory processing sensitivity seems to represent insula-mediated affective touch. We discuss these results with previous studies reporting an engagement of the insula in individuals with high sensory processing sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Schaefer
- Medical School Berlin, Rüdesheimer Str. 50, 14197, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Anja Kühnel
- Medical School Berlin, Rüdesheimer Str. 50, 14197, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matti Gärtner
- Medical School Berlin, Rüdesheimer Str. 50, 14197, Berlin, Germany
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Iimura S, Deno M, Kibe C, Endo T. Beyond the diathesis-stress paradigm: Effect of the environmental sensitivity × pubertal tempo interaction on depressive symptoms. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2022; 2022:123-143. [PMID: 35274434 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Based on the Differential Susceptibility Theory, we examined whether the relationship between pubertal maturation and depressive symptoms can be moderated by individual differences in environmental sensitivity. The current article used the three-wave data collected from Japanese adolescents aged from 12 to 15 years (girls = 111, boys = 98). Consequently, a significant Sensitivity × Pubertal Development interaction was observed in 12- to 13-year-old boys, but not girls. Sensitive boys who experienced accelerated physical maturation reported decreased depressive symptoms, while those who experienced less maturation had increased depressive symptoms. The shape of the interaction supported both the Differential Susceptibility Theory and the Diathesis-Stress Model. Our findings suggest that sensitivity during early puberty among boys could be reconsidered as susceptibility rather than vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhei Iimura
- The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
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10
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Sim L, Peterson CB. The peril and promise of sensitivity in eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord 2021; 54:2046-2056. [PMID: 34536033 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Differential susceptibility, a reconceptualization of the diathesis-stress model of psychopathology, describes gene-environment interactions that reflect individual differences in responsiveness to environmental influences, both detrimental and beneficial. This model has been described metaphorically by the classification of orchids, which thrive under optimal care but wither under adverse conditions, and dandelions, which weather broad environmental circumstances but are less responsive to careful cultivation. Etiological research in the field of eating disorders has largely focused on the identification of specific behavioral phenotypes, temperamental traits, genotypes and neurobiological processes that confer risk. In this article, we propose that these putative vulnerability factors represent phenotypes and endophenotypes of a genetic predisposition towards environmental sensitivity. We assert that this sensitivity not only transmits eating disorder risk but also confers resilience, depending on the circumstances. In particular, we propose that differential susceptibility can be used as a framework to organize disparate temperamental and neurobiological findings and their complex interplay with various developmental, environmental and sociocultural influences to increase eating disorder risk and treatment responsiveness. Finally, we assert that viewed through the lens of differential susceptibility, sensitivity can be leveraged to refine our interventions and develop novel treatment and prevention strategies to support favorable outcomes for individuals with eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Sim
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Carol B Peterson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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