Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-19-2024

Abstract

Investigations of the link between personality and depression provide a path to identifying at-risk individuals and developing tailored treatment. Sensory processing sensitivity, reflecting individual differences in processing of internal and external stimuli, has been found to predict depression severity. Based on a diathesis-stress model, the present study examines whether this association is moderated by adverse childhood experiences. An online survey containing standardized measures of adverse childhood experiences, sensory processing sensitivity, and depression severity, was administered to 558 college students. The sample was predominantly Hispanic (92%) and female (70%) with a mean age of 20.2 years. In support of the diathesis-stress model, sensory processing sensitivity was found to be significantly correlated with depression and this relationship was shown to be stronger at higher levels of adverse childhood experiences. Our findings suggest that individuals with high SPS are at increased risk for depression, particularly if they were raised in adverse environments. Our findings add to the growing research on links between personality and depression. Future research should seek to identify modifiable factors that could serve as potential intervention targets and to examine the extent to which ACEs might moderate the efficacy of such treatment approaches.

Comments

This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://rdcu.be/d9K4E

Publication Title

Current Psychology

DOI

10.1007/s12144-024-06847-z

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Available for download on Sunday, October 19, 2025

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