Fainting history, disgust sensitivity, and reactions to disgust-eliciting film stimuli

This study examines the construct of disgust sensitivity, its relationship with fainting history and anxiety sensitivity, and its incremental validity in predicting responses to disgust-eliciting film stimuli. One-hundred and fifty-six participants completed self-report questionnaires, watched one of three brief (i.e., about 2 min long) film segments depicting anatomy and medical procedures, and then reported on their emotional and physiological responses to the film segments. A factor analysis of responses to 10 disgust sensitivity items allowed for the construction of an anatomy scale and a contamination scale. Neither scale was significantly associated with fainting history. Both scales showed moderate associations with gender (with females scoring higher) and with anxiety sensitivity. The anatomy disgust sensitivity scale showed incremental validity in predicting emotional and self-reported physiological responses to the disgust-eliciting film segments after controlling for other variables, but the contamination disgust sensitivity scale did not. The implications of these results for understanding disgust sensitivity are discussed.