Sensory processing sensitivity is associated with religiosity and spirituality

Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) has recently been gaining public as well as scientific interest. Evidence is lacking on the relationship between SPS and different dimensions of religiosity and spirituality (R/S). We investigated the associations between SPS and R/S in the Czech Republic. Two samples of Czech adults (N1=1406; 48.1±16.4 years; 49.4% women, N2 = 1494; 50.7 ± 15.8 years; 44.1% women) participated in the online survey. We measured SPS, religious attendance, religiosity, spirituality, images of God, negative religious coping (NRC) and religious conspiracy theories (RCT). Results of binary logistic regression found SPS significantly associated with religiosity, spirituality, and NRC with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.38 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-1.56), 1.61 (95% CI 1.33-1.96) and 1.25 (95% CI 1.02-1.52), respectively. Higher SPS indicated a greater likelihood of perceiving God as ever-present, fatherly, forgiving, gentle, loving, motherly, punishing, just, and absolute, with ORs ranging from 1.14 to 1.26. No significant association was found between SPS and RCT. Results revealed associations between SPS and various aspects of R/S. The study highlights the relevance of considering SPS in clinical contexts involving religious and spiritual issues. Further research might be aimed at comparing the results with countries with different religious backgrounds, or at exploring the links with other variables that may play a role in these relationships.

Marie Buchtova, Klara Malinakova, Jitse P. van Dijk, Vit Husek, Peter Tavel