Take the Highly Sensitive Person Test

Click the image above to download the Highly Sensitive Person Test PDF!

Instructions: 

A.  If you’re not able to download and print the Highly Sensitive Person Quiz PDF above, number a piece of scratch paper from 1 to 25.

B.  For each question below, select the number that best represents where you fall on the continuum from 0 to 5. Specific descriptions are given at 0 and 4 to help you gauge your answers.

Am I a Highly Sensitive Person? Quiz HSP Questionnaire 

 1 — How do your own emotions effect you?

• 0 = I don’t pay much attention to my emotions.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = I often feel blind-sided by my emotions.
• 5

2 — How do you respond to sudden change of plans?

• 0 = I roll with the flow. Changes happen. I’m flexible.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 =  Sudden changes make me feel disoriented and confused.
• 5

3 — Scents and smells — i.e. perfumes, air fresheners, fabric softeners

• 0 = I don’t tend to notice scents or smells.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = I pick up on subtle scents & can get headaches from strong smells.
• 5

4 — I feel like something is different and/or wrong with me.

• 0 = Never
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Frequently
• 5

5 — What do you do after you’ve made a mistake?

• 0 = After making a mistake, I move right on.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = After making a mistake I mull it over, sometimes for a long time.
• 5

6 — I’ve been told, “You’re just too sensitive!” 

• 0 = Never
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Often
• 5

7 — Repetitive noises — i.e. faucet dripping, pen tapping, cricket chirping —

• 0 = I screen out repetitive noises.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Repetitive noises drive me to distraction.
• 5

8 — As a child, I was called a “cry baby” and/or a “drama queen”

• 0 = Never
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Regularly
• 5

9 — How do other people’s emotions effect you?

• 0 = I’m oblivious to others’ emotions.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = I feel others’ emotions as if they are my own.
• 5

10 — Uncomfortable textures — i.e. itchy sweater, scratchy tag

• 0 = I’m not really aware of different textures.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = I am irritated by uncomfortable textures.
• 5

11 — How much time does it take you to process new information?

• 0 = I process new information in the moment.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = I need 24-48 hours to process new information.
• 5

12 — How do you react to unexpected loud noises?

• 0 = Unexpected loud noises rarely faze me.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Unexpected loud noises startle me.
• 5

13 — Reflecting deeply is…

• 0 = …something I rarely do.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = …the way I process life.
• 5

14 — I’ve been asked, “Why do you take things so personally!”

• 0 = Never
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Frequently
• 5

15 — How do violent and/or horror movies impact you?

• 0 = Violent and/or horror movies don’t bother me. I know everything in them is fake.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = I can’t watch violent and/or horror movies because they feels so real.
• 5

16 — When I learn about a tragedy occurring somewhere else in the world

• 0 = It doesn’t impact me unless someone I know is involved.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = I feel it deeply and want to do something to help.
• 5

17 — I’ve been told that I over-think things.

• 0 = Never
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Often
• 5

18 — Art, music, drama, and/or beauty …

• 0 = … aren’t really my thing.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = … make me feel more alive.
• 5

19 — I am moved to tears.

• 0 = Never
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Frequently
• 5

20 — The world inside me seems more real than the world around me.

• 0 = Not at all
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Totally
• 5

21 — In describing my intensity level, I’d say that…

• 0 = … I’m pretty even keel, with no big highs or lows.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = … my highs are high and my lows are low.
• 5

22 — What started as playful banter can suddenly feel like bullying to me.

• 0 = Never
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Often
• 5

23 — Do you tend to perform better with a live audience or during solo practice?

• 0 = Performing for a live audience amps me up to do my very best.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = I do better during solo practice than when performing for an audience.
• 5

24 — When I start feeling overwhelmed, I need to take a break — preferably by myself, in a quiet room, with low lighting.

• 0 = Never
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = Regularly
• 5

25 — Caffeine and/or hunger…

• 0 = … don’t have much effect on me.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4 = … disrupt my coordination and concentration.
• 5

Now, add up all your answers to get your total score.

Interpreting Your Highly Sensitive Person Quiz Score:

If your score is above 50, you may well be an HSP.

The closer your score is to 100, the more likely it is that you’re a Highly Sensitive Person.

Note: This HSP quiz is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not an instrument of medical or psychological diagnosis and is not a substitute for medical and/or psychological advice  given by a trained, licensed practitioner.