Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
08:09

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood

Published on: February 11, 2017

11.9K

Wellbeing differences in children with synaesthesia: anxiety and mood regulation

Julia Simner1, Rebecca Smees2, Louisa J Rinaldi2

  • 1School of Psychology, Pevensey Building, University of Sussex. BN1 9QJ. UK, j.simner@sussex.ac.uk.

Frontiers in Bioscience (Elite Edition)
|October 13, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Children with synaesthesia (an unusual sensory trait) experience negative impacts on well-being, including higher anxiety and moderated emotional extremes. This study highlights potential mental health comorbidities in synaesthetic children.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry

Background:

  • Synaesthesia is a neurodevelopmental trait involving unusual sensory experiences.
  • Existing research has not extensively explored synaesthesia's impact on children's mental well-being.
  • Potential links between synaesthesia, alexithymia, anxiety, and autism are suggested.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of synaesthesia on children's well-being.
  • To identify potential mental health comorbidities in children with synaesthesia.
  • To examine the relationship between synaesthesia, affect, and anxiety.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 76 children (aged 6-10) with grapheme-colour or sequence-personality synaesthesia.
  • Compared synaesthetes to nearly 1000 matched non-synaesthete controls.
  • Assessed children's well-being using two distinct measures, focusing on affect and anxiety.

Main Results:

  • Synaesthesia was significantly associated with affect (mood) and anxiety.
  • Children with synaesthesia exhibited higher rates of Anxiety Disorder.
  • Synaesthetic children displayed moderated emotional range, with fewer extreme positive and negative feelings.

Conclusions:

  • Synaesthesia can negatively affect children's well-being.
  • Anxiety disorders and emotional moderation are potential comorbidities in childhood synaesthesia.
  • Findings suggest links between synaesthesia, alexithymia, anxiety, and autism spectrum conditions.

More Related Videos

Comparing Eye-tracking Data of Children with High-functioning ASD, Comorbid ADHD, and of a Control Watching Social Videos05:32

Comparing Eye-tracking Data of Children with High-functioning ASD, Comorbid ADHD, and of a Control Watching Social Videos

Published on: December 7, 2018

9.4K
Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance08:17

Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance

Published on: July 19, 2017

8.0K

Related Concept Videos

Anxiety: Overview01:18

Anxiety: Overview

Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
734
Synesthesia01:27

Synesthesia

Synesthesia is a remarkable condition where stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. People with synesthesia experience a blending or crossing of their senses, such as sight and sound, leading to cross-modal sensations. In this condition, the stimulation of one sense, such as hearing a number or musical note, triggers an experience of another sense, like sensing a specific color, taste, or smell. People...
347
Altered States of Awareness01:06

Altered States of Awareness

Altered states of consciousness represent significant deviations from one's normal mental state. These deviations can range from subtle changes in awareness to profound transformations in perception, thought processes, and sensory experiences. Altered states of consciousness can be triggered by various factors, including drug use, meditation, hypnosis, illness, or even intense fatigue.
The ingestion of substances like stimulants or hallucinogens leads to chemical alterations in the brain...
817
Social Anxiety Disorder01:28

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is characterized by an intense fear of social situations where one might face humiliation, rejection, embarrassment, or negative evaluation. This disorder leads individuals to avoid activities like casual conversations, public speaking, or seemingly simple tasks such as eating, signing documents, or swimming, in public settings. Its impact extends beyond discomfort, often significantly interfering with daily functioning and quality of life.
270
Autism Spectrum Disorder01:19

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
752
Human Genetics01:28

Human Genetics

Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
1.2K