Sensory-processing sensitivity moderates the association between childhood experiences and adult life satisfaction

Journal article

There are few studies testing the differential susceptibility hypothesis (DSH: hypothesizing that some individuals are more responsive to both positive and negative experiences) with adult personality traits. The current study examined the DSH by investigating the moderating effect of sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS) on childhood experiences and life satisfaction. A total of 185 adults completed measures of SPS, positive/negative childhood experiences and life satisfaction. SPS did moderate the association between childhood experiences and life satisfaction. Simple slopes analysis compared those reporting high and low SPS (+/− 1 SD) and revealed that the difference was observed only for those who reported negative childhood experiences; with the high SPS group reporting lower life satisfaction. There was no difference observed in those reporting positive childhood experiences, which supported a diathesis-stress model rather than the DSH.

Authors: Booth, C; Standage, H; Fox, E

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Journal: Personality and Individual Differences
• Volume: 87
• Pages: 24-29
• Publication date: 2015-12-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2015.07.020
• ISSN: 0191-8869
• Keywords: differential susceptibility; personality; life satisfaction; stress and coping; sensory processing sensitivity