De Invloed van Leeftijd op Overprikkeling in Gezonde Volwassenen

Introduction: In daily life, individuals constantly encounter stimuli from both external environmental sources and internal emotional triggers. Often, these stimuli are filtered out, but sometimes this process fails, leading to a sensation of being 'overstimulated.' This can negatively impact daily functioning. As people age, sensory perception typically declines, which might affect stimulus processing. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a relationship between age and the degree of sensory processing. Method: Demographic data (age, gender, education level) were collected from individuals aged 18-67 years. Sensory processing was measured using the validated Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire (SPSQ). The relationship between age and sensory processing was analyzed in SPSS using Pearson's correlation analysis. Post-hoc, participants were divided into two groups: younger (<50 years) and older (≥50 years). The SPSQ scores between these groups were compared...Show moreIntroduction: In daily life, individuals constantly encounter stimuli from both external environmental sources and internal emotional triggers. Often, these stimuli are filtered out, but sometimes this process fails, leading to a sensation of being 'overstimulated.' This can negatively impact daily functioning. As people age, sensory perception typically declines, which might affect stimulus processing. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a relationship between age and the degree of sensory processing. Method: Demographic data (age, gender, education level) were collected from individuals aged 18-67 years. Sensory processing was measured using the validated Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire (SPSQ). The relationship between age and sensory processing was analyzed in SPSS using Pearson's correlation analysis. Post-hoc, participants were divided into two groups: younger (<50 years) and older (≥50 years). The SPSQ scores between these groups were compared using an independent samples t-test. Results: A total of 134 individuals participated in the study. The median age was 44.5 years (IQR = 22.00 - 54.25) and 37.3% were male. The average SPSQ score for the group was 187.5 (SD = 25.3, range = 120-257). There was no significant relationship between age and SPSQ score (r = -.088, 95% CI [-.254, .083], p = .31). Additionally, there was no significant difference in SPSQ scores between the older (SPSQ score: 189.21) and younger (SPSQ score: 185.34) groups (t(133) = -.880, p = .190). Discussion: Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no effect of age on sensory processing sensitivity. This may indicate that there are no issues with sensory processing in individuals younger than 67 years. Several options for future research are discussed.Show less

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De Invloed van Leeftijd op Overprikkeling in Gezonde Volwassenen