The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adolescent Depression: The Moderating Role of Sensory Processing Sensitivity

Qianrong Yang^1,2Yachen Tao³Mei Xie⁴Yun Tao¹Quanyi Long²Zhi Zhu¹Qijun Hu¹Meng Zhou¹Yuanyuan Zou^5*Xuzhou Li^1*

• ¹Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China
• ²Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
• ³Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
• ⁴Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
• ⁵Epilepsy Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

This study investigated the relationship between childhood trauma and adolescent depression, with a particular focus on the moderating role of sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) and its specific subdimensions. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 843 high school students in China, utilizing the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Short Form), the 21-item Highly Sensitive Child Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Results indicated that childhood trauma significantly predicted depressive symptoms in adolescents. Moreover, SPS moderated the association between childhood trauma and depression, with higher SPS amplifying the adverse effects of trauma. Further analyses revealed that the three SPS dimensions—Ease of Excitation (EOE), Low Sensory Threshold (LST), and Aesthetic Sensitivity (AES)—each demonstrated unique moderating effects. These findings advance current understanding by illustrating how distinct facets of sensitivity shape vulnerability to depression following childhood trauma. The results offer theoretical contributions to developmental psychopathology and suggest practical implications for designing individualized, sensitivity-informed interventions to support adolescents at risk of depression.