Overview
- A meta-analysis of 33 studies including 12,697 participants, published in Clinical Psychological Science, is the first to quantify associations between sensitivity and mental health outcomes.
- It found moderate correlations between high sensitivity and depression (r = .36) and anxiety (r = .39).
- Around 31 percent of people are estimated to be highly sensitive, defined by increased nervous system responsiveness to environmental stimuli.
- Authors suggest that assessing sensitivity could enable tailored interventions such as mindfulness or applied relaxation to leverage patients’ heightened treatment responsiveness.
- They warn that findings derive from predominantly young, educated female samples with self-reported, cross-sectional data, prompting calls for broader longitudinal research.