The inter-relationships between sensory processing sensitivity and mental health problems among college students: A network analysis

Mental health problems are increasingly prevalent among college students. Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) has been linked to mental health problems, but the specific roles of different SPS dimensions in terms of risk or plasticity for college students' mental health are not well understood. This network analysis study, involving 678 Chinese college students, investigated the inter-relationships between mental health problems and SPS dimensions. Mental health problems and SPS were evaluated using the Symptom Checklist-90 and the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire. Regularized partial correlation network analysis was conducted to construct the network structure of SPS and mental health problems. Centrality indices were estimated to identify important variables within the network. Group differences in network structures were also examined by gender and socio-economic status. Our network revealed that the emotional/physiological reactivity dimension of SPS was positively connected with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity and depression, while showing a negative association with somatization and psychoticism. Bridge centrality estimation identified emotional/physiological reactivity as a central hub bridging SPS and mental health problems, with high bridge strength and bridge expected influence within the network. These findings suggest that emotional/physiological reactivity may represent a potentially important dimension of SPS with possible clinical and educational relevance. However, SPS was assessed using a self-report questionnaire with potential psychometric limitations, and therefore the findings should be interpreted with caution. In addition, the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference. Future research could explore the role of emotional/physiological reactivity in promoting mental health and academic adjustment among highly sensitive college students.