Emotional sensitivity and its moderating role in the stress-illness relationship

The present study tested the moderating role of emotional sensitivity in the stress-illess relationship. To do so, the three dimensions of the Spanish Emotional Sensitivity Scale (ESS- Guarino, 2004, Guarino & Roger, 2005) together with health inventories were administered to a sample of college students undergoing an adaptation period to the university (T1). Questionnaires were administered again 8 weeks later as a follow-up measure. Results from regressions taking the ESS scores at T1 as independent variables and controlling the initial values of the health indicators showed that negative egocentric and positive interpersonal sensitivity predicted significantly changes in the physical symptoms reports. Changes in the report of psychological symptoms were only explained by the negative egocentric sensitivity, after the initial health scores were controlled for, and only for males. The health report of women at T2 was not affected by their emotional sensitivity. Results support previous findings regarding the harmful effect of the negative egocentric sensitivity over health, especially in individuals undergoing high stress levels and psychological demands.