Modified polystyrene cross-linked resin particles in which polyacrylic acid ester-based resin fine particles having an average particle diameter in the range of 30 to 1,000 nm are dispersed in polystyrene-based resin particles, wherein the content of gel component fraction insoluble to toluene when about 1 g of the modified polystyrene-based cross-linked resin particles is dissolved in 50 ml of toluene at 25°C is in the range of from 5 to 25% and the gel component shows a degree of swelling in the range of from 10 to 20 in toluene at 25°C.