📋 What to expect
What is high sensitivity?
High Sensitivity (Highly Sensitive Person or HSP) is a neurobiological personality trait present in approximately 15–20% of the population. Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) process information more deeply, are more easily stimulated, have heightened emotional empathy, and greater sensitivity to environmental subtleties. Identified by psychologist Dr Elaine Aron in the 1990s, this trait is not a disorder — it is a normal variation of the nervous system with specific strengths and challenges.
Characteristics of high sensitivity
The DOES model describes the 4 dimensions of HSP: Depth of processing (deep information processing), Overstimulation (rapid stimulation in intense environments), Emotional reactivity and Empathy (high emotional reactivity and empathy), Sensitivity to Subtleties (fine perception of details, nuances, and atmospheres). HSPs are often creative, conscientious, and empathetic, but may easily become overwhelmed by noisy environments, multitasking, or conflict.
About the HSP test
This test is based on the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) developed by Dr Elaine Aron, the world's leading researcher on this trait. The HSPS is the reference instrument for identifying high sensitivity. A high score indicates a marked HSP trait, not a pathology.