HSP Self-Test
Is sensitivity shaping your reality?
Or perhaps a loved one or team member?
Find out by completing the free 5min Highly Sensitive Person Scale – Revised (HSP-R)* below, developed by international psychological researchers, including Dr. Elaine Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person.
Rate each of the 18 questions below from 1 (not at all) to 7 (very strongly) using the dropdown menus. You can skip a question. Your average sensitivity score (1-7) appears instantly below.
Official Questionnaire Interpretation
An average score of greater than 5 indicates a tendency towards high sensitivity. However, individual scores may vary depending on gender, age, cultural background and other characteristics. Importantly, the score does not represent a precise indication or diagnosis but shows the likely position along a continuum of sensitivity.
More about Highly Sensitive People
Around 1 in 5 people have a nervous system that is naturally more sensitive. This is a trait, not a flaw, even if your inner critic sometimes suggests otherwise. If you score lower on the sensitivity scale, it can also help explain why others may experience you as insensitive, or why you may find their sensitivity difficult to understand.
Like your height or the colour of your eyes, sensitivity is a natural part of who you are. It comes with both challenges and beautiful gifts. The invitation here is to meet yourself with deeper, more compassionate self-awareness.
The real journey is shifting from self-judgment to self-acceptance, recognising your sensitivity as a strength, and not something to hide or ‘toughen up.’ And if you score lower on the scale, this insight may help you better understand and support the Highly Sensitive People in your life, even if their experience feels very different from your own.
The DOES framework helps explain your nervous system, which is wired differently:
- Depth of processing: You notice and think deeply about things others might miss.
- Overstimulation: You can become easily overwhelmed by too much noise, activity, or emotion.
- Emotional reactivity/Empathy: Your feelings run deep, and you often empathise strongly with others.
- Sensory sensitivity: Your senses may pick up subtle sights, sounds, textures, or smells more intensely.
No matter where you lie on the sensitivity scale, I’m here to walk with you toward more clarity and well-being. As a couple, you can cultivate mutual understanding and practical strategies that support your natural differences within the relationship.
How Reflectioneer Coaching can support you
- Cultivate gentle agency as a co-creater of your life
- Strengthen essential boundaries & self-care
- Reduce overwhelm
- Clearer self-understanding
- Working with your nervous system, not against it
*Highly Sensitive Person Scale – Revised (HSP-R) Source
© Pluess, M., Aron, E., Kähkönen, J. E., Lionetti, F., Huang, Y., Tillmann, T., Greven, C., & Aron, A. (2024). Evolution of the Concept of Sensitivity and its measurement: The Highly Sensitive Person Scale-Revised. PsyArXiv. https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/w7bqu. https://sensitivityresearch.com/ and https://hsperson.com/
Instructions
- Select a number between 1 and 7 for each question using the dropdown menu.
- 1 = Not at all | 7 = Extremely
- If a question doesn’t apply to you, skip it.
- Your total score and average sensitivity level will be calculated automatically.
- Do you notice when things have been moved around?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Are you easily affected by feedback (both negative and positive)?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Are you easily overwhelmed by bright lights, strong smells, coarse fabrics, or sirens close by?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do you easily recognize what others are feeling?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do you notice and enjoy delicate or fine scents, tastes, sounds, or works of art?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Are you easily affected by the mood of people around you?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do you tend to reflect on things deeply?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Are you good at anticipating how someone may feel about a situation?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Are you bothered by intense stimuli, like loud noises or chaotic scenes?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do you generally react strongly to your experiences, whether you show it or not?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do other people tell you that you are good at understanding what they are feeling or thinking?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do you tend to get deeply immersed in music?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do you find yourself thinking about philosophical questions?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do you seem to notice changes in the weather more than others do?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do you become unpleasantly aroused when a lot is going on around you?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Are you deeply moved by the arts or music?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do you tend to notice subtle signs of changing seasons (winter, spring, etc.)?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely) - Do you like deep conversations?
(not at all) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (extremely)
Calculate your average score
- Add all your answers
- Divide your total by the number of questions you answered
For example, if you answered all 18 questions and scored a total of 115, you would divide 115 by 18. Your average sensitivity score would then be 6.4.
115 / 18 = 6.4
Alternatively, if you answered only 16 questions and scored a total of 75, you would divide 75 by 16, resulting in an average score of 4.7.
75 / 16 = 4.7
Interpretation
An average score greater than 5 indicates a tendency towards high sensitivity. However, individual scores may vary depending on factors such as gender, age, cultural background, and other characteristics. Importantly, the score is not a precise indication or diagnosis; rather, it shows your likely position along a continuum of sensitivity. Regardless of your score, my coaching journey is here to support you, helping you embrace your unique sensitivity and align with your true potential.
*HSP Self-Test Source
© Pluess, M., Aron, E., Kähkönen, J. E., Lionetti, F., Huang, Y., Tillmann, T., Greven, C., & Aron, A. (2024). Evolution of the Concept of Sensitivity and its Measurement: The Highly Sensitive Person Scale-Revised. PsyArXiv. https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/w7bqu. https://sensitivityresearch.com/ and https://hsperson.com/