Investigation of psychopathological issues among parents of children aged 5-10 with sensory sensitivity

Senses are the first tool for the baby in the womb to interact with the external environment. Senses emerge as a result of the interaction of data from the environment with senses such as the tongue, ear, nose, eye and skin. Sensory sensitivity is the reaction that causes a person to disrupt their social or physical interactions against stimuli they receive from the environment. Sensory sensitivity can basically occur based on genetic and environmental factors. The main purpose of our research is to examine the psychiatric conditions of parents of children with sensory sensitivity. In this process, the SCL-90R Mental Symptom Screening Test was used to evaluate the psychiatric health conditions of the parents. In order to investigate the sensory sensitivities of the children, the Dunn Sensory Profile 1 (DP1) was applied to the parents. The research is a descriptive study. It was conducted in Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Department of Public Health and a private Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic affiliated to Ankara Provincial Health Directorate between 01.01.2024 and 31.04.2024. The sample of the study consists of children between the ages of 5-10 who applied to a private child psychiatry clinic for mental health examination and treatment and their parents. 313 people were reached in the study. Dunn Sensory Profile (DP1) was filled out for all children participating in the study, and SCL-90R Mental Symptom Screening Test and Sociodemographic Family Form were filled out for parents. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS 26.0 package program. Number and percentage were used for categorical variables, and mean±standard deviation values were used for continuous variables. Chi-square test was used in comparisons between groups. The conformity of continuous variables to normal distribution was examined using Kolmogorov Smirnov test, skewness and kurtosis values. Backward LR Logistic Regression Analysis was performed to determine which of the SCL subcategories were risk factors. In terms of parental education, those with university and above education constitute the largest group (%58.5). Parents generally work in an income-generating job (professionally civil servant) (%56.2). 91.4% of parents are married. The perception of parents' economic status is most frequently at the medium level. According to the results obtained from the SCL-90R Mental Symptom Screening Test examination, there are 122 parents with a possibility of having a mental problem (%39). Parents were examined by classifying them as normal, borderline and with mental problems in terms of the sub-parameters of the SCL-90R Mental Symptom Screening Test. SCL-90R Mental Symptom Screening Test scores were compared with Dunn Sensory Profile 1 (DP1) sub-classification (Registration, Seeking, Sensitivity and Avoidance) scores, and a statistically significant difference was found between those with and without sensory sensitivity. According to the SCL-90R Mental Symptom Screening Test, the presence of Dunn Sensory Profile 1 (DP1) "registration status" in children of parents with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms was found to be 4.097 times higher (95% C.A: 1.896-8.853) than in normal parents. However, the presence of "registration status" in children of parents with borderline Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms was found to be 2.533 times higher (95% C.A: 1.063-6.040) than in normal parents. It was found that children of parents diagnosed with depression, paranoid thoughts, interpersonal sensitivity, somatization, anxiety, and anger-hostility according to the SCL-90R Symptom Inventory had a higher prevalence or more pronounced sensory sensitivity in their Sensory Profile. Children of parents diagnosed with psychoticism according to the SCL-90R Symptom Inventory were found to have a higher prevalence or more pronounced sensory sensitivity and avoidance in their Sensory Profile. Similarly, children of parents diagnosed with phobic anxiety according to the SCL-90R Symptom Inventory were found to have a higher prevalence or more pronounced sensory sensitivity in their Sensory Profile. In conclusion, children with sensory sensitivity constitute one of the vulnerable groups within their peer age group. Therefore, special responsibilities and duties fall upon parents, healthcare professionals, and health administrators concerning these children. These responsibilities include raising awareness, policy development, staff training, interdisciplinary coordination, resource allocation, quality improvement, creating sensory-friendly environments, collaboration across all areas, advocating for the child's needs, providing emotional support, and promoting social skills and independence. If these responsibilities are fulfilled with care and empathy, the quality of life for children with sensory sensitivity can be significantly improved, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for these vulnerable children. Keywords: Sensory Sensitivity, Child Health, Dunn Sensory Profile 1, SCL-90R, Parental Mental Health