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Internalizing/Externalizing Problems and Sensory Processing Alteration in Children Referred to Child Mental Health

Macarena Valencia1, Ana D'Ocon2, Raquel Plata1

  • 1Bio-Gipuzkoa Institute of Health Research, 20014 Gipuzkoa, Spain.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Sensory processing alteration in children is linked to more internalizing and externalizing problems, especially when moderate to severe. Early sensory processing assessment is crucial for diagnosing childhood mental health issues.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Sensory Processing

Background:

  • Internalizing and externalizing problems in children are often linked to sensory processing (SP) alterations.
  • Severe SP alterations are considered sensory processing disorder (SPD).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between childhood mental health problems and the degree of sensory processing alteration.
  • To examine children referred to a child mental health center (CMHC).

Main Methods:

  • Sixty-four children (ages 6-8) referred to a CMHC in Spain participated.
  • Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/6-18) and Child Sensory Profile (CSP-2).
  • Statistical analyses compared childhood problem scores across different sensory processing alteration levels.

Main Results:

  • Children with severe SP alteration showed significantly higher internalizing and externalizing problem scores.
  • Moderate to severe SP alterations were associated with clinical levels of internalizing, externalizing, and total problems.
  • Specifically, severe SP alteration correlated with higher scores in withdrawn, depressed, attention, social, and thought problems.

Conclusions:

  • Sensory processing alteration is significantly associated with increased internalizing and externalizing problems in referred children.
  • Clinical levels of problems are particularly evident with moderate to severe sensory processing alteration.
  • Integrating sensory processing assessments into the diagnostic process for childhood mental health concerns is recommended.
Abstract

Keywords:
child mental health centerchildhood problemsexternalizing problemsinternalizing problemsmiddle childhoodsensory processing alterationsensory processing disorder (SPD)

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