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. 2023 Jan 6;8(1):e1053.
doi: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000001053. eCollection 2023 Jan.

Sensory processing sensitivity in adolescents reporting chronic pain: an exploratory study

Helen Koechlin  1   2 , Carolina Donado  2 , Cosima Locher  3   4 , Joe Kossowsky  2 , Francesca Lionetti  5   6 , Michael Pluess  6
Affiliations

Sensory processing sensitivity in adolescents reporting chronic pain: an exploratory study

Helen Koechlin et al. Pain Rep. .

Abstract

Introduction: Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) describes a genetically influenced trait characterized by greater depth of information processing, lower sensory threshold, and ease of overstimulation. It is hypothesized that SPS plays a crucial role in the context of chronic pain.Objectives: This exploratory study examined SPS as a correlate of pain intensity and pain-related disability in a sample of adolescents reporting chronic pain.

Methods: Adolescents reporting chronic pain were contacted through social media and through specialized pain clinics. Participants completed online questionnaires on their levels of SPS, pain features, emotion regulation, and quality of life. A series of analysis of variances (ANOVAs) were calculated to detect differences between 3 SPS groups (ie, high, medium, and low sensitivity) regarding emotion regulation, quality of life, and pain features. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to predict pain intensity, pain-related disability, and quality of life.

Results: In total, 103 participants completed the survey (68.9% female, Mage 17.9). Back pain was the most frequently reported pain location. Proportion of highly sensitive individuals was large (45.68%). The ANOVA revealed significant differences between sensitivity groups related to quality-of-life subscales, namely, for physical (F(2, 100) = 7.42, P < 0.001), emotional (F(2, 100) = 6.11, P < 0.001), and school functioning (F(2, 100) = 3.75, P = 0.03). High sensitivity was not predictive of pain but of health-related quality of life.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that SPS is an important and prevalent characteristic to consider in the context of chronic pain in adolescents, specifically regarding the quality of life.

Keywords: Adolescents; Chronic pain; Emotion regulation; Quality of life; Sensory processing sensitivity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article.

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