Sensory Processing Sensitivity and its association with personality traits and affect: A meta-analysis

Publication date: August 2019Source: Journal of Research in Personality, Volume 81Author(s): Francesca Lionetti, Massimiliano Pastore, Ughetta Moscardino, Annalaura Nocentini, Karen Pluess, Michal PluessAbstractIn two Bayesian meta-analyses, we investigated associations between Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) and the Big Five personality traits (MA1) as well as both Positive and Negative Affect (MA2). Moderators were age and the three SPS subscales. In MA1 (8 papers, 6790 subjects), SPS in children correlated with Neuroticism (r = 0.42) but did not with Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness or Conscientiousness. In adults, SPS correlated with Openness (r = 0.14) and Neuroticism (r = 0.40) but did not with Extraversion, Agreeableness or Conscientiousness. In MA2 (19 papers, 5326 subjects), SPS in children correlated with Negative (r = 0.29) and Positive Affect (r = 0.21), but only with Negative Affect (r = 0.34) in adults. Developmental and measurement aspects are discussed.
Source: Journal of Research in Personality - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research