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Observer-rated environmental sensitivity and its characterization at behavioral, genetic, and physiological levels

Sofie Weyn1,2,3, Francesca Lionetti4, Daniel N Klein5

  • 1Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

Development and Psychopathology
|January 8, 2025
PubMed

Insights

This study validated the Highly Sensitive Child-Rating System (HSC-RS) and identified three sensitivity groups in preschoolers. Sensitivity showed moderate behavioral links but minimal genetic or physiological associations.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Behavioral Genetics
  • Child Psychiatry

Background:

  • High sensitivity is a trait influencing emotional and behavioral responses.
  • Understanding sensitivity in early childhood is crucial for developmental research.
  • The Highly Sensitive Child-Rating System (HSC-RS) requires psychometric validation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the psychometric properties of the HSC-RS in preschoolers.
  • To identify distinct sensitivity groups within a preschool sample.
  • To explore the behavioral, genetic, and physiological correlates of sensitivity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the HSC-RS with 541 preschoolers.
  • Collected temperament, genetic (GWAS PGS, candidate genes), cortisol, and EEG asymmetry data.
  • Employed confirmatory factor analysis and latent class analysis.

Main Results:

  • The HSC-RS demonstrated reliable measurement of sensitivity.
  • Three sensitivity groups were identified: low (23.3%), medium (54.2%), and high (22.5%).
  • Moderate associations were found between HSC-RS scores and observed temperament traits; a small negative association with ADHD GWAS PGS was observed, but no significant genetic or physiological links were identified.

Conclusions:

  • The HSC-RS is a reliable tool for assessing sensitivity in preschoolers.
  • Sensitivity exists on a continuum with identifiable groups.
  • Behavioral correlates are more strongly associated with sensitivity than genetic or physiological markers in this age group.

Keywords:
cortisoldifferential susceptibilityelectroencephalography asymmetryenvironmental sensitivityobservation measurepolygenic scorepreschoolerstemperament

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