1,721,083 research outputs found
Assessment of sensory processing sensitivity across the lifespan
No full textMarkers of an increased sensitivity to environmental influences have been observed and investigated across several domains, phenotypically and endophenotypically. Currently, the most direct measures for capturing sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) are a series of questionnaires that cover the lifespan from middle childhood to adulthood; and more recently, an observational measure for preschoolers has also been proposed. This chapter provides an overview of theoretical perspectives of SPS within the environmental sensitivity framework and it introduces investigated phenotypic SPS markers and measures for assessing SPS in children and adults. It also provides the measures’ psychometric properties across cultures, their associations with other temperament and personality traits, and the interaction with environmental quality in predicting developmental outcomes and adjustment across the lifespan. Finally, the existence of sensitivity groups and how to assess group differences is discussed, together with new directions of research
The role of environmental sensitivity in the experience and processing of emotions: Implications for well-being
No full textSeveral theories suggest that people differ significantly in their environmental sensitivity, defined as the capacity to perceive and process information about the environment. More sensitive people, who make up between 25% and 30% of the population, are not only more negatively affected by adverse experiences but also benefit disproportionately from positive ones, in line with differential susceptibility theory. Heightened emotional reactivity has been identified as one of the key markers of sensitivity. However, the current understanding of the relationship between sensitivity and the experience and processing of emotions remains limited. In the current paper we propose a new conceptual framework for the multiple ways in which environmental sensitivity may impact on different aspects of the experience and processing of emotions. This includes heightened perception of emotions, increased emotional reactivity, as well as the important role of emotion regulation for the well-being of highly sensitive people. In addition, we also consider rearing experiences in shaping sensitivity and emotion regulation. The reviewed empirical studies largely support the conceptual model but more research is needed to explore the dynamics between sensitivity and emotions further. Finally, we discuss several implications for well-being before making a case for the inclusion of individual differences in environmental sensitivity in affective science. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'
What promotes secure attachment in early adoption? The protective roles of infants' temperament and adoptive parents' attachment
No full textLife before adoption is characterized by the lack of sensitive and stable caregiving, putting infants at risk for non-secure attachment patterns. What leads to adoptees' attachment security in their adoptive families has not been conclusively determined. We investigated the roles of children's temperament and adoptive parents' attachment on adoptees' attachment security. The variables were studied in a sample of 30 early-placed adoptees (age at adoption placement M = 5.37 months, SD = 4.43) and their adoptive mothers and fathers. Attachment patterns were investigated by means of the Strange Situation Procedure and the Adult Attachment Interview, and temperament via the Infant Behavior Questionnaire. Results showed that mothers' secure attachment, but not fathers' attachment or adoptees' temperament, increased the chance of secure attachment in adoptees. Temperament moderated the mother-child attachment match
La genitorialitá. Strumenti di valutazione e interventi di sostegno
No full textIl volume coniuga le riflessioni in ambito clinico con i dati più aggiornati della letteratura scientifica e si basa su due approcci teorici: la teoria dell'attaccamento e la prospettiva cognitivo-comportamentale. Una riflessione sull'importanza della genitorialità per lo sviluppo e la rilevanza del dialogo tra clinica e ricerca sia nella valutazione sia nella terapia dà inizio al lavoro. Segue una prima parte che presenta due procedure osservative per l'analisi della sintonizzazione emotiva diadica genitore-bambino dall'infanzia all'età scolare e introduce alcune linee guida per applicare nella clinica un'intervista utile nei casi di comunicazione di una diagnosi ai genitori. La seconda parte del volume è dedicata alla presentazione di interventi orientati all'approccio cognitivo-comportamentale e a quella di un set di interventi basati sul videofeedback e ispirati alla teoria dell'attaccamento. Il libro offre una riflessione sull'importanza di investire precocemente sullo sviluppo attraverso il lavoro con i genitori per contribuire all'instaurarsi di buone prassi capaci di coniugare il rigore della ricerca e le necessità della clinica, in un reciproco arricchirsi di saperi e conoscenze
The role of Environmental Sensitivity in the Experience and Processing of Emotions: Implications for Wellbeing
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Environmental sensitivity increases susceptibility to resilient contexts in adults with childhood experiences of neglect
No full textEmpirical evidence regarding the impact of childhood emotional neglect on later adjustment is mixed, with some studies reporting neglect to predict low psychological well-being, while others reporting a well-adjusted development despite childhood experiences of emotional neglect. This heterogeneity is understood within a resilient framework where individual and contextual factors act as moderators. This is the first study investigating the moderating role of environmental sensitivity and contextual resilience on the association between childhood emotional neglect and psychological well-being.737 students from the University of Florence with an age ranging from 18 to 30 years (M = 19.81; SD = 1.91; 87% female) took part in the research. To investigate the effects of childhood emotional neglect on relational well-being, and the moderating role of environmental sensitivity and contextual resilience on the impact of emotional neglect, a series of generalized linear models, including only main effects and then adding interaction terms, were run and compared. Results provided support for a three-way interaction model, with environmental sensitivity and contextual resilience moderating the impact of childhood emotional neglect on relational well-being in young adulthood (B =.37, SE =.11, p <.001). Among those who experienced severe levels of childhood emotional neglect, young adults high in environmental sensitivity were more susceptible to the positive impact of supportive contexts, presenting higher levels of well-being compared to those low in environmental sensitivity. This study suggests that promoting supportive contexts in adulthood might reduce the impact of severe childhood emotional neglect, particularly in individuals with an increased environmental sensitivity
Experiences in Close Relationships Revised Child version (ECR-RC): Psychometric evidence in support of a Security factor
No full textAttachment refers to the innate tendency to form strong and close interpersonal bonds, from infancy through adulthood. Many different ways to assess attachment have been developed, one of them being the use of self-report questionnaires. The Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised is one of the most commonly used instruments to assess adult and late adolescent attachment. Recently, a new and brief child version of this instrument has been published, the 12-item ECR-RC short form. The purpose of the current study was threefold: (1) to test the factorial structure of this form in a sample of Italian adolescents, (2) to test the loadings overlap between the mother and the father forms, and (3) to investigate factors reliability. Using a sample of 961 adolescents (Mage = 14.25, SDage = 1.57), a series of Confirmatory Factor Analyses were performed. The Avoidance–Anxiety structure was not supported, whereas a factor structure including Anxiety, Avoidance, and Security, had a very good fit. Item loadings on these factors were largely equal across mother and father, and internal reliability was high. The results of this study show that the ECR-RC short form is a quick and reliable way to assess attachment in early adolescents. This study also initiates the proposal of an ECR-RC Security factor, to be further validated in future studies
Environmental sensitivity and cardiac vagal tone as moderators of the relationship between family support and well-being in low SES children: An exploratory study
Full text linkThis cross-sectional study explored whether the association between perceived family support and child well-being was moderated by the individual trait of Environmental Sensitivity (the ability to register, process, and respond to stimuli) and cardiac vagal tone (CVT, an index of self-regulation) in a sample of children living in socioeconomically disadvantaged families. Participating children (N = 131, Mage = 7.20 years, 47% boys) were individually interviewed about the support received within the family as well as their physical and emotional well-being. Children’s sensitivity was assessed via a series of behavioral tasks, and CVT was recorded at rest. Hierarchical cluster analysis on the behavioral items yielded three sensitivity groups: “Low sensitive” (43%), “Moderately sensitive” (33%), and “Highly sensitive” (24%). The three groups of children did not differ in baseline CVT. However, linear regression analyses revealed that at low and average levels of family support, highly sensitive children with higher resting CVT reported better well-being than those with low resting CVT, whereas no effect was observed among children in the other two groups. In the context of high family support, children reported high levels of well-being irrespective of their levels of vagal activity or sensitivity. The findings suggest that among low SES families, when children experience a poorly supportive family environment and are highly sensitive to negative experiences, having a higher resting CVT may confer an advantage in terms of well-being. Implications for theory and practice are discussed
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