Psychological models of development of idiopathic environmental intolerances: Evidence from longitudinal population-based data

Environmental research · 2021 · No effect · Moderate evidence

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No effectModerate evidencePaper 1013

Study snapshot

PublicationEnvironmental research · 2021

Study typecohort

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingModerate

Abstract

Psychological models of development of idiopathic environmental intolerances: Evidence from longitudinal population-based data Luc Watrin, Steven Nordin, Renáta Szemerszky, Oliver Wilhelm, Michael Witthöft, Ferenc Köteles. Psychological models of development of idiopathic environmental intolerances: Evidence from longitudinal population-based data. Environ Res. 2021 Sep 8;204(Pt A):111774. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111774. Abstract The origin of idiopathic environmental intolerances (IEIs) is an open question. According to the psychological approaches, various top-down factors play a dominant role in the development of IEIs. The general psychopathology model assumes a propensity towards mental ill-health (negative affectivity) increases the probability of developing IEIs. The attribution model emphasizes the importance of mistaken attribution of experienced somatic symptoms; thus, more symptoms should lead to more IEIs. Finally, the nocebo model highlights the role of expectations in the development of IEIs. In this case, worries about the harmful effects of environmental factors are assumed to evoke IEIs. We estimated cross-lagged panel models with latent variables based on longitudinal data obtained at two time points (six years apart) from a large near-representative community sample to test the hypothesized associations. Indicators of chemical intolerance, electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and sound sensitivity fit well under a common latent factor of IEIs. This factor, in turn, showed considerable temporal stability. However, whereas a positive association was found between IEIs and increased somatic symptoms and modern health worries six years later, the changes therein could not be predicted as hypothesized by the three psychological models. We discuss the implications of these results, as well as methodological aspects in the measurement and prediction of change in IEIs. Highlights • Compares and integrates theories of Idiopathic Environmental Intolerances (IEI). • Tests competing theories in a large longitudinal study (N = 1837). • Correlations, but no cross-lagged associations of IEIs with neighboring constructs. • Latent variable models indicate a strong commonality of different IEIs. • We advocate for more attention on the nomothetic span of IEIs. Conclusion In the current study, cross-lagged panel models were applied to investigate reciprocal association between IEIs and general psychopathology, somatic symptoms, and modern health worries in longitudinal data of a large near-representative community sample. Contrary to theoretical predictions, higher initial levels in either of the three constructs were not associated with increases in IEIs over a period of 6 years. The proneness to idiopathic environmental intolerances (IEIs), such as chemical intolerance, noise sensitivity, and electromagnetic hypersensitivity, appeared very stable. Somatic symptoms, indicators of negative affectivity, and modern health worries showed reliable associations with IEIs. However, they did not predict IEIs. Therefore, popular theories of the development of IEIs could not be confirmed empirically. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typecohort

Effect directionno_effect

PopulationLarge near-representative community sample

Sample size1837

ExposureTwo time points six years apart

Evidence strengthModerateConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Indicators of chemical intolerance, electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and sound sensitivity fit under a common latent IEI factor with considerable temporal stability. Although IEIs were positively associated with somatic symptoms and modern health worries six years later, baseline levels of general psychopathology/negative affectivity, somatic symptoms, and modern health worries did not predict increases in IEIs over 6 years in cross-lagged models.

Outcomes measured

Idiopathic environmental intolerances (IEIs) latent factor
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)
Chemical intolerance
Sound sensitivity/noise sensitivity
Somatic symptoms
General psychopathology/negative affectivity
Modern health worries (worries about harmful effects of environmental factors)

View raw extracted JSON

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  "outcomes": [
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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111774
PubMed: 34506786

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