Sensory Processing Sensitivity: Associations With Psychological Well-Being and Sleep Health Among Adolescent Girls

Adolescence is associated with risks for sleep and mental health issues, particularly among girls. Identifying risk factors is essential for designing targeted interventions during this vulnerable developmental period. One factor to consider is Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS), the ability to adapt and respond to one's environment. The current study examines whether levels of SPS relate to psychological well-being and sleep, and whether sleep moderates associations between SPS and psychological well-being.

A community sample of girls assigned female at birth (n = 145; M Age = 11.13; SD Age = 0.93) reported their SPS and psychological well-being using PROMIS questionaries administered prior to menarche. Three sleep parameters (sleep onset, sleep offset, duration, efficiency) were monitored over 7 days using actigraphy.

Using suggested cut points, SPS groupings were roughly equally distributed among this community sample of pre-adolescent girls with 36.3% as highly sensitive (orchids), 33.6% as moderately sensitive (tulips), and 29.5% as low sensitivity (dandelions). One-way ANCOVAs revealed that orchids experienced significantly more stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, less positive affect, and later sleep onset times compared to dandelions. Orchids were also significantly more stressed and had more depressive symptoms than tulips, while tulips were significantly more stressed than dandelions. Sleep did not moderate any associations between SPS and psychological well-being.

SPS significantly differentiates individuals based on their psychological well-being with highly sensitive adolescents exhibiting higher levels of psychological distress and later sleep onset times. Future work should consider whether SPS can differentiate risk for mental health symptoms and sleep disruptions over adolescence.