Evidence for disgust sensitivity mediating the sex differences found in blood-injection-injury phobia and spider phobia

Due primarily to high prevalence rates and the potential debilitating effects of specific fears, additional research is needed to examine potential causal factors of specific phobias. Studies have consistently found positive associations among disgust sensitivity (DS) and both blood-injection-injury (BII) and spider fears. Additionally, women, compared to men, consistently report elevated levels of DS and specific fears. Consequently, previous researchers have suggested that DS serves as an influential mediator of the sex differences in several specific phobias. As such, the current study’s aim was to evaluate the potential role of DS as a mediator of the sex differences in BII and spider fears, while controlling for spurious factors (i.e., trait anxiety and negative affect). Using an undergraduate sample (N = 179), the mediation test results provide strong evidence indicating that DS, independent of trait anxiety and negative affect, is a potent mediator of the sex differences in BII and spider fears. The current results implicate DS as a potential diathesis/maintenance factor for BII fears and spider fears, and suggest consideration of individually tailored treatment protocols aimed at the amelioration of salient emotion dimensions.