A psychometric evaluation of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale in ethnically and culturally heterogeneous South African samples

Andrew K May,Michael M Pitman,Shane A Norris,Linda M Richter

doi:10.1007/s12144-020-00988-7

Abstract

Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is a personality trait that describes highly neurosensitive individuals who, for better and for worse, are permeable to their environmental context. Recently, these individuals have been noted for their amenability to positive intervention efforts - an observation that may have important psychosocial value. SPS is currently assessed through the 27-item Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS). However, this instrument has not been adequately scrutinised in cross-cultural samples, and has generated varied factor solutions that lack consistent support. We assessed the HSPS in South African university student samples which were ethno-culturally diverse, across four academic years (n = 750). The HSPS demonstrated strong reliability across samples (α > .84). Factor analysis revealed a novel five-factor solution (Negative Affect, Neural Sensitivity, Propensity to Overwhelm, Careful Processing and Aesthetic Sensitivity). As per previous reports, latent class analysis suggested a three class solution. We validated these findings in a general population sample that was part of the longitudinal Birth to Twenty Plus cohort (n = 1400). In conclusion, we found the HSPS to be reliable in culturally diverse samples. The instrument remains a robust tool for identifying sensitive individuals and may be an important addition to psychosocial studies in low-to-middle income countries.

Highlights

Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is a personality trait that describes highly neurosensitive individuals who, for better and for worse, are permeable to their environmental context
Three items had scale correlations
Researcher-generated reverse-scored items all had negative or near-zero correlations with Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) items, except where a social desirability bias may have been in effect, creating areas of discrepant colouring on the correlation heat map (Figure Supp-1; Online Supplementary Material)

Summary

Introduction

Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is a personality trait that describes highly neurosensitive individuals who, for better and for worse, are permeable to their environmental context. Individuals in possession of the trait (termed highly sensitive persons - HSPs) are characterised by a number of behavioural responses, including: strong emotional reactions (positive and negative) which typically foster improved learning (Aron et al 2005, 2012); a “pause-to-check” response in the presence of novel stimuli (Aron and Aron 1997); and a propensity to become overwhelmed by excessive stimulation and/or cognitive processing, leading to frequent withdrawal into solitude to afford regeneration of an overtaxed nervous system (Aron and Aron 1997; Aron et al 2012). In addition to a burgeoning literature on humans (Acevedo et al 2018; Pluess et al 2018), environmental sensitivity is supported by research in over 100 animal species (Aron et al 2012)

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Results

Conclusion