The Relationship Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Symptoms of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Testing the Mediating Role of Psychological Distress
1
department of psychology, urmia university, urmia, Iran
2
MA of Psychology, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
3
BA of Psychology, Islamic Azad university of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
10.22098/jrp.2026.17393.1313
Abstract
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder was recently added to the diagnostic system and appears to be influenced by biological and psychological factors. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between sensory processing sensitivity and symptoms of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder and test the mediating role of psychological distress. In this correlational research, 259 students of Tabriz Islamic Azad University were recruited by cluster sampling method in 2024 and completed Nine Item Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake disorder screen, sensory processing sensitivity scale, and Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale. The data were analyzed by using SPSS.26 and Smart-Pls3. The results showed that there was a significant direct effect between low sensory threshold and psychological distress (t = 4.10); psychological distress and food intake disorder (t = 5.09); ease of excitation and psychological distress (t = 7.35), but not between low sensory threshold and food intake disorder (t = .385). Additionally, psychological distress significantly mediated the indirect effect of low sensory threshold on food intake disorder (t = 3.19), and the indirect effect between ease of excitation and food intake disorder as well (t = 3.90; P < 0.05). The findings of the present study indicate that factors such as low sensory threshold and psychological problems may significantly contribute to the symptoms associated with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.
zeinali, S. , heydarloo, R. , zeinali, F. and nikmanseh, A. (2026). The Relationship Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Symptoms of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Testing the Mediating Role of Psychological Distress. Journal of Research in Psychopathology, (), -. doi: 10.22098/jrp.2026.17393.1313
MLA
zeinali, S. , , heydarloo, R. , , zeinali, F. , and nikmanseh, A. . "The Relationship Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Symptoms of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Testing the Mediating Role of Psychological Distress", Journal of Research in Psychopathology, , , 2026, -. doi: 10.22098/jrp.2026.17393.1313
HARVARD
zeinali, S., heydarloo, R., zeinali, F., nikmanseh, A. (2026). 'The Relationship Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Symptoms of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Testing the Mediating Role of Psychological Distress', Journal of Research in Psychopathology, (), pp. -. doi: 10.22098/jrp.2026.17393.1313
CHICAGO
S. zeinali , R. heydarloo , F. zeinali and A. nikmanseh, "The Relationship Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Symptoms of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Testing the Mediating Role of Psychological Distress," Journal of Research in Psychopathology, (2026): -, doi: 10.22098/jrp.2026.17393.1313
VANCOUVER
zeinali, S., heydarloo, R., zeinali, F., nikmanseh, A. The Relationship Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Symptoms of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Testing the Mediating Role of Psychological Distress. Journal of Research in Psychopathology, 2026; (): -. doi: 10.22098/jrp.2026.17393.1313
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