New Resource: Sensitivity Research

A new website, Sensitivity Research, looks like a promising development in the world of high sensitivity. It’s a website run by researchers to share information about the sensitive trait in humans.

Target Audience

The purpose of Sensitivity Research is to share resources with practitioners and researchers. The site also aims to facilitate the collaboration of international research into the sensitive trait.

The website also wants to play a role in educating the public about sensitivity. And that is certainly something any parent of a highly sensitive child can get on board with.

Sensitivity Tests

The Sensitivity Research website hosts three different sensitivity tests: one for adults, one for children between the ages of 8 and 18 and one for parents to fill in for their child.

I completed the test this morning, as did my 13 year old. We both fell in the upper end of the sensitivity spectrum. No real surprises but an interesting exercise nonetheless.

What was interesting was the percentage of adults and children/adolescents falling into the high sensitivity bracket. According to research, the figure would appear to be closer to the 30 percent mark than between 15 and 20 percent. That’s almost a third of us.

Yet more confirmation that highly sensitive is normal.

Research

The research into the sensitivity trait is relatively new, but thankfully it continues.

“After more than 20 years of academic research, it is clear that sensitivity is an established, recognised and empirically verified human trait. However, while we have gained much from research to-date, more investigation is needed. Additional work on key areas such as the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the trait, the existence of gender, cultural and other differences, and its role in the development of psychological disorders, to mention just a few, will help us to understand sensitivity more fully.”

Sensitivity Research

There is evidence that high sensitivity has a genetic basis. Genes explain up to 50% of the differences between us all when it comes to our sensitivity. Our environment and how we experience things therefore also significantly influences our sensitivity.

Parenting a Highly Sensitive Child

So this confirms that we, as parents, have a large role to play in the development of our children’s highly sensitive traits. It also means that schools impact our children’s sensitivities. The environment our children grow up in matters.

How we parent our highly sensitive children matters. You can make a difference.

“Research further suggests that adverse experiences in early childhood can contribute to the development of heightened sensitivity in adolescence and adulthood, particularly in those with greater genetic predisposition for sensitivity.”

Sensitivity Research

The tools we give to our children to navigate a world where 70% of people are not highly sensitive impact our children’s development.

We can make a huge difference to our children and how they perceive themselves as they grow into adolescents and adults.

And together we will.