Raising Sensitive Minds: How Warm Parenting Fosters Emotion Regulation in Highly Sensitive Children

High sensitivity, emotion regulation and parenting: what we know

Some children possess higher levels of sensitivity, which makes them perceive and respond more deeply to various stimuli, including emotional ones (1). This heightened sensitivity influences their emotional experiences profoundly; the stronger the emotion, the more challenging it becomes to regulate it (2). Consequently, highly sensitive children may feel easily overwhelmed, leading to potential challenges in their psychological adjustment and overall well-being, particularly if they experience poor parenting (3, 4).

However, high sensitivity is not inherently a vulnerability. Research indicates that highly sensitive individuals show increased responsiveness to positive environments. When exposed to nurturing parenting, highly sensitive children can benefit more from positive parental behaviours than their less-sensitive peers (5). This phenomenon, often described as the “for better and for worse” effect, highlights that the outcomes of high sensitivity are highly dependent on the environment (6, 7). Supportive and warm parenting can protect sensitive children from behavioural problems and promote their emotional well-being.

Despite these insights, most studies have assessed parenting through self-reports and rarely explored the crucial role of emotion regulation, a key factor in psychological well-being. This calls for further research to untangle the relationships between high sensitivity, emotion regulation, and parenting.

What We Wanted to Uncover

To address these gaps in the literature, we conducted a study with two main aims (8):

• Exploring the link between high sensitivity and emotion regulation in school-age children.
• Investigating whether highly sensitive children are more impacted by responsive and warm parenting practices.

How We Conducted the Study

Participants

We recruited 118 primary school children (mean age: 6.5 years; age range: 5–8) and their mothers (mean age: 37.7 years; age range: 22–55). Most participants (83%) were of Italian nationality. Recruitment occurred during parenting events at local schools.

Data collection

From the Child

After obtaining informed consent from the parents, children participated in individual research sessions during school hours. The sessions started with a five-minute free play to ensure the child felt comfortable, followed by the administration of an observational measure assessing their internalized attachment representations using the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST) (9).

The sessions, lasting about 30 minutes, were videotaped and later coded for representations of maternal caregiving behaviours, focusing on sensitive parenting and warmth. This approach offered an observational measure of how children internalized their experiences of maternal care as responsive and affectionate.

From the Mother

Mothers completed paper-based questionnaires at home, reporting on their child’s sensitivity (using the Highly Sensitive Child Scale (4)) and emotion regulation (using the Emotion Regulation Checklist) (10).

What We Found

Sensitivity and Emotion Regulation: A Complex Link

Contrary to findings in adult populations, high sensitivity was not directly linked to emotion regulation difficulties in school-age children (11). This aligns with some adolescent studies suggesting that high sensitivity may not be inherently linked to poor emotion regulation in younger individuals.

A potential explanation is that high sensitivity might only develop into a vulnerability over time when the child’s environment lacks positivity and support. This underscores the importance of considering environmental factors when examining the role of sensitivity in emotional adjustment.

The Role of Warm and Sensitive Caregiving

When paired with internalised representations of warm and sensitive caregiving, highly sensitive children demonstrated significantly better emotion regulation (see Figure 1). Conversely, highly sensitive children with lower-quality caregiving representations struggled more with regulating their emotions.

This finding suggests that highly sensitive children may require more responsive and affectionate parenting to help them manage their intense emotional arousal. Without such support, these children may face greater challenges than their less-sensitive peers.

Implications

Theoretical Contributions

Our study adds to the growing body of research exploring the connection between sensitivity and emotion regulation. By identifying the moderating role of caregiving, it provides deeper insights into why some sensitive individuals are more vulnerable to emotional difficulties than others.

Practical Applications

These findings have clear implications for parenting programs. Emphasizing warm and responsive caregiving can be particularly beneficial for highly sensitive children. Parenting interventions, especially those rooted in attachment theory, should integrate the role of individual differences in sensitivity to better support these children.

Highly sensitive children appear to be more vulnerable to emotion regulation difficulties, making secure and nurturing parent-child relationships even more critical for their development.

Conclusion

This study is among the first to examine the underlying mechanisms linking sensitivity and emotion regulation in children, highlighting the critical role of caregiving. By understanding how sensitivity interacts with parenting, we can better support highly sensitive children, helping them navigate their intense emotional experiences and fostering their well-being.

Further research is essential to expand this knowledge and to guide both theoretical frameworks and practical approaches to support these children in reaching their full potential.