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Sensory-processing sensitivity, parenting styles, and adult attachment patterns in parents of young children.

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Title: Sensory-processing sensitivity, parenting styles, and adult attachment patterns in parents of young children.
Authors: Branjerdporn, G. (AUTHOR), Gillespie, K.M. (AUTHOR), Green, M. (AUTHOR), Strong, J. (AUTHOR), Meredith, P. (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Reproductive & Infant Psychology. Jun2026, Vol. 44 Issue 3, p840-855. 16p.
Subjects: Sensory defensiveness, Cross-sectional method, Scale analysis (Psychology), Data analysis, Cronbach's alpha, T-test (Statistics), Attachment behavior, Parent-child relationships, Questionnaires, Multiple regression analysis, Parenting, Descriptive statistics, Anxiety, Multivariate analysis, Mann Whitney U Test, Statistics, Analysis of variance, Psychology of parents, Factor analysis, Data analysis software, Avoidance (Psychology)
Abstract: Background: Increased sensitivity to internal and external stimuli, known as sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS), has been linked to attachment insecurity and less optimal parenting styles in parents of children aged 4–13 years. Associations between these parenting factors in parents of children aged 3 years and younger have not yet been investigated. Understanding the relationships between these factors will facilitate the development of strategies to better support highly sensitive parents. Methods: A sample of 153 parents of children aged 3 years and younger completed an online survey comprising standardised measures of SPS, attachment, and infant parenting styles. The underlying factor structure of the Infancy Parenting Styles Questionnaire was investigated. Results: Factor analysis identified 33 items loading onto five factors: Discipline, Routine, Anxiety, Nurturance, and Involvement, with moderate to high reliability. SPS was positively correlated with parenting anxiety, attachment anxiety, and attachment avoidance, but did not predict parenting style. Younger parent age was associate with more insecure attachment styles. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that variability in parenting anxiety was predicted only by attachment anxiety and having fewer children. Conclusion: While SPS was not seen to predict parenting anxiety, relationships between SPS, parenting anxiety, and insecure attachment suggest that strategies tailored to SPS would support highly sensitive parents to care for their children and promote improved parent–child relationships. These strategies may therefore be a beneficial addition to attachment-based parenting programs. Further studies using the Toddler Parenting Styles Questionnaire (TPSQ) are needed to identify optimal parenting styles for parents of infants and toddlers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Reproductive & Infant Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Sensory-processing sensitivity, parenting styles, and adult attachment patterns in parents of young children.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Branjerdporn%2C+G%2E%22">Branjerdporn, G.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gillespie%2C+K%2EM%2E%22">Gillespie, K.M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Green%2C+M%2E%22">Green, M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Strong%2C+J%2E%22">Strong, J.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Meredith%2C+P%2E%22">Meredith, P.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Reproductive+%26+Infant+Psychology%22">Journal of Reproductive & Infant Psychology</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 44 Issue 3, p840-855. 16p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sensory+defensiveness%22">Sensory defensiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cross-sectional+method%22">Cross-sectional method</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scale+analysis+%28Psychology%29%22">Scale analysis (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis%22">Data analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cronbach's+alpha%22">Cronbach's alpha</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22T-test+%28Statistics%29%22">T-test (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attachment+behavior%22">Attachment behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent-child+relationships%22">Parent-child relationships</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Questionnaires%22">Questionnaires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multiple+regression+analysis%22">Multiple regression analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parenting%22">Parenting</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multivariate+analysis%22">Multivariate analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mann+Whitney+U+Test%22">Mann Whitney U Test</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Analysis+of+variance%22">Analysis of variance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+parents%22">Psychology of parents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Factor+analysis%22">Factor analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Avoidance+%28Psychology%29%22">Avoidance (Psychology)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: Increased sensitivity to internal and external stimuli, known as sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS), has been linked to attachment insecurity and less optimal parenting styles in parents of children aged 4–13 years. Associations between these parenting factors in parents of children aged 3 years and younger have not yet been investigated. Understanding the relationships between these factors will facilitate the development of strategies to better support highly sensitive parents. Methods: A sample of 153 parents of children aged 3 years and younger completed an online survey comprising standardised measures of SPS, attachment, and infant parenting styles. The underlying factor structure of the Infancy Parenting Styles Questionnaire was investigated. Results: Factor analysis identified 33 items loading onto five factors: Discipline, Routine, Anxiety, Nurturance, and Involvement, with moderate to high reliability. SPS was positively correlated with parenting anxiety, attachment anxiety, and attachment avoidance, but did not predict parenting style. Younger parent age was associate with more insecure attachment styles. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that variability in parenting anxiety was predicted only by attachment anxiety and having fewer children. Conclusion: While SPS was not seen to predict parenting anxiety, relationships between SPS, parenting anxiety, and insecure attachment suggest that strategies tailored to SPS would support highly sensitive parents to care for their children and promote improved parent–child relationships. These strategies may therefore be a beneficial addition to attachment-based parenting programs. Further studies using the Toddler Parenting Styles Questionnaire (TPSQ) are needed to identify optimal parenting styles for parents of infants and toddlers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Reproductive & Infant Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/02646838.2024.2419381
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 840
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Sensory defensiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cross-sectional method
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scale analysis (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cronbach's alpha
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: T-test (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attachment behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent-child relationships
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Questionnaires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multiple regression analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parenting
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anxiety
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multivariate analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mann Whitney U Test
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Analysis of variance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology of parents
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Factor analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Avoidance (Psychology)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Sensory-processing sensitivity, parenting styles, and adult attachment patterns in parents of young children.
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            NameFull: Branjerdporn, G.
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            NameFull: Gillespie, K.M.
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            NameFull: Green, M.
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            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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