Assessing Multisensory Sensitivity Across Scales: Using the Resulting Core Factors to Create the Multisensory Amplification Scale

Abstract

Multisensory sensitivity (MSS), observed in some chronic pain patients, may reflect a generalized central nervous system sensitivity. While several surveys measure aspects of MSS, there remains no gold standard. We explored the underlying constructs of 4 MSS-related surveys (80 items in total) using factor analyses using REDCap surveys (N = 614, 58.7% with pain). Four core- and 6 associated-MSS factors were identified from the items assessed. None of these surveys addressed all major sensory systems and most included additional related constructs. A revised version of the Somatosensory Amplification Scale was developed, encompassing 5 core MSS systems: vision, hearing, smell, tactile, and internal bodily sensations: the 12-item Multisensory Amplification Scale (MSAS). The MSAS demonstrated good internal consistency (alpha = 0.82), test-retest reliability (ICC3,1 = 0.90), and construct validity in the original and in a new, separate cohort (R = 0.54–0.79, P < .0001). Further, the odds of having pain were 2–3.5 times higher in the highest sex-specific MSAS quartile relative to the lowest MSAS quartile, after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and pain schema (P < .03). The MSAS provides a psychometrically comprehensive, brief, and promising tool for measuring the core-dimensions of MSS. Perspective: Multiple multisensory sensitivity (MSS) tools are used, but without exploration of their underlying domains. We found several measures lacking core MSS domains, thus we modified an existing scale to encompass 5 core MSS domains: light, smell, sound, tactile, and internal bodily sensations using only 12 items, with good psychometric properties.