What is the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Trait, and How Prevalent is It?

What is the highly sensitive person (HSP) trait, and how prevalent is it?

The highly sensitive person trait is a trait rather than a DSM disorder, and it is something a person is born with rather than something acquired or developed across the lifespan. It is found in approximately 20% of the population and, notably, in over 100 species other than humans. The trait is characterized by the ability to detect subtleties in one's environment, subtle sounds, sensations such as clothing textures, and lighting, along with deeper information processing and increased sensory and emotional responsiveness. There is even neurological evidence for this: MRI studies show that brain areas that respond to sensory input are more active in highly sensitive individuals than in those without the trait.

This trait is especially relevant to clinical work because it is overrepresented among those seeking therapy. While about 20% of the general population carries the trait, an estimated 30 to 50% of people who walk through a therapist's door are highly sensitive. Many of these clients, and sometimes their clinicians, may not realize the trait is present, which is precisely why awareness of it matters so much in practice.

This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, "The Highly Sensitive Person in Therapy: The Therapist-Client Dynamic," presented by Ashley Hubbard, MS, NCC, LPC-Supervisor, LMHC, EMDR-Consultant.