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Youth Sensitivity in a Pandemic: The Relationship Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity, Internalizing Problems,
Selina S C Burgard1, Juliëtte M Liber1,2, Suzanne M Geurts3
1Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, Netherlands.
Journal of Child and Family Studies
|April 18, 2022
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Adolescent Health
- Environmental Psychology
Background:
- Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is a known risk factor for internalizing problems in adolescents.
- Highly sensitive adolescents exhibit heightened responses to environmental factors, including parenting and stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic mediates the relationship between SPS and internalizing problems.
- To examine if parenting style moderates this mediating effect in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study with 404 adolescents (aged 9-18) during the first COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands.
- Online questionnaires assessed SPS, parenting style, internalizing problems, and perceived COVID-19 impact.
- Mediation and moderated mediation models were analyzed using SPSS PROCESS macro.
Main Results:
- A significant partial mediation was found, indicating that perceived COVID-19 impact links SPS to internalizing problems.
- Parenting style did not significantly moderate the relationship between SPS, COVID-19 impact, and internalizing problems.
Conclusions:
- The pandemic's perceived impact plays a role in the heightened internalizing problems experienced by highly sensitive adolescents.
- Further research should focus on interventions to support sensitive youth and mitigate internalizing issues.
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