Furthering the Clinical and Research Utility of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale: Cluster Analysis of Gender Differences and Risks for Depression and Anxiety

Abstract

Important questions remain about the clinical and research utility of the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) scale, particularly related to gender. Thus, a cluster analysis was conducted with 414 university undergraduates, using the HSP scale, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised, resulting in parsimonious four-cluster models: four clusters of women and four clusters of men. Three of the four cluster types were consistent across both men and women: non-distressed medium sensitivity (low anxiety and depression, mid-range HSP), non-distressed low sensitivity (low anxiety and depression, low HSP), and distressed high sensitivity (moderate/high anxiety and depression, high HSP). Differences were found in the fourth type. A cluster of women were non-distressed and highly sensitive (low anxiety and depression, high HSP), while the fourth type of men were distressed medium sensitivity (moderate/high anxiety and depression, mid-range HSP). Scores on the HSP scale total (α = .88) indicated adequate internal consistency and external (divergent) validity, with medium effect sizes related to social desirability bias. Internal structural validity indicated a poor fit of the data to previously proposed one- to three-dimensional models. Counseling practice and research implications are discussed.