Sensory processing sensitivity levels in patients with disorders of gut–brain interaction: a propensity score-matched cross-sectional study

Background Although sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) has been extensively studied in the context of psychological health, its potential association with disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI) remains poorly understood. Objective This study used the Chinese version of the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Scale to assess sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) levels and the prevalence of highly sensitive persons (HSPs) in a DGBI cohort. Using propensity score matching (PSM), it aimed to compare these metrics between DGBI patients and healthy controls and to evaluate the discriminative capacity of SPS for DGBI. Additionally, SPS and HSP distribution were compared across DGBI subgroups categorized by upper versus lower gastrointestinal (GI) symptom predominance. Methods SPS levels were assessed using the validated Chinese Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS-C). Covariate balance was achieved through 1:1 PSM. Intergroup disparities were examined using independent samples * t *-tests and χ 2 analyses, supplemented by the binary logistic regression analysis and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results Post-PSM analysis (254 matched pairs) revealed significantly higher total SPS scores in the DGBI group versus controls ( p < 0.001), with a substantially greater HSP prevalence (42.5% vs. 17.3%; p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed no statistically significant differences in SPS levels or HSP distribution between patients with upper and lower gastrointestinal DGBI ( p > 0.05). Ease of excitation (EOE; OR = 1.403, 95% CI: 1.110–1.773) and depth of processing (DOP; OR = 1.315, 95% CI: 1.044–1.657) emerged as independent DGBI risk factors. ROC analysis showed a moderate discriminative capacity for DGBI identification (AUC = 0.705, 95% CI: 0.660–0.750). Conclusion Elevated SPS levels are significantly associated with DGBI. However, the subgroup analysis revealed no significant differences in SPS levels or HSP distribution between patients with upper and lower gastrointestinal DGBI. Early identification of HSP characteristics may nevertheless facilitate personalized interventions, supporting the integration of SPS assessment into DGBI diagnostic and management frameworks.