Sensation seeking in 3- to 6-year-old children: associations with socio-demographic parameters and behavioural difficulties

BACKGROUND: The present study investigates whether sensation seeking in pre-school-age children is associated with age, gender and socio-economic status, and how sensation seeking relates to behavioural difficulties. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 423 three- to six-year-old children whose parents had completed questionnaires on the children’s sensation seeking (Sensation Seeking Scale for Young Children), socio-economic status, and behavioural difficulties (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). Multiple linear regression models were applied to investigate associations between sensation seeking and age, gender, socio-economic status and behavioural difficulties. RESULTS: Sensation seeking was significantly higher in male vs. female children but not associated with children’s socio-economic status. Furthermore, sensation seeking was positively correlated with conduct problems, but negatively with emotional symptoms and peer-relationship problems. CONCLUSION: These results replicate findings in adults and strengthen the assumption that sensation seeking is a personality trait that is already observable in early childhood. Furthermore, our results suggest relationships between higher levels of sensation seeking and externalising behaviour as well as relationships between lower levels of sensation seeking and internalising behaviour. TRIAL REGISTRATION: LIFE Child study: ClinicalTrials.gov, clinical trial number NCT02550236.