Early family experiences can have long-term effects on one’s life, e.g. on forming attachment styles even in the adulthood, as well as on mental health and personal wellbeing later in life. Moreover, personal wellbeing is influenced by individual characteristics such as personality/temperamental traits. One of such traits is Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), conceptualized as being highly susceptible to a variety of stimuli in our environment and easily overwhelmed by subtle stimuli. Recent research has shown that individuals who score high on SPS are more vulnerable to negative early experiences, but can also profit more from positive experiences, such as social support in a close relationship. In line with this, our goal was to examine if the relationship between early risky family experiences and an individual’s wellbeing is mediated by the level of anxiety and avoidance one perceives in a current close relationship, and if SPS moderated this relationship. Three hundred and forty-eight university students (294 female, Mage = 21.57, SD = 2.91) participated in an on-line survey, which included The Highly Sensitive Person Scale, The Risky Families Questionnaire, modified Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory and Personal Wellbeing Index. Path analyses did not confirm hypothesized mediation and moderation effects ; early risky family experiences and SPS traits predicted both an individual’s wellbeing and anxiety and avoidance in a current close relationship, while adult attachment styles were not related to current wellbeing.

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