Developing a Causal Model of Adolescents' Vulnerability to Addiction Based on Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Brain Behavioral Systems with the Mediation of Emotional Suppression

The current study aimed to investigate the causal model of adolescents' vulnerability to addiction based on sensory processing sensitivity and brain behavioral systems with the mediation of emotional suppression.

The current research was descriptive-correlational of structural equation modeling type. The statistical population of the research included the students of the city of Mashhad in the academic year 2022-2023. Among them, 228 people were selected by the multi-stage cluster sampling method. The tools used in this research included the identifying people at risk of addiction questionnaire, the sensory processing sensitivity questionnaire, the brain behavioral systems questionnaire, and the adjustment inventory. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.

The results indicated that sensory processing sensitivity and the behavioral inhibition system had a positive and significant effect, while behavioral activation system had a negative and significant effect on vulnerability to addiction. In addition, emotional suppression mediated the relationship between sensory processing sensitivity and brain behavioral systems. Overall, the results showed that the model had good fit.

According to the results of the current research, regarding vulnerability to addiction, it is suggested that addiction treatment clinics pay more attention to the antecedents of processing sensitivity and brain systems and their possible negative consequences in order to reduce the level of vulnerability to addiction in adolescents.