Highly sensitive people face greater mental health risks

Summary: A large -scale meta -analysis of 33 studies has shown that highly sensitive people are more prone to common mental health problems, which include depression, anxiety, PTSD and avoidant personality disorder. Sensitivity was defined as a greater capacity to respond to environmental and emotional signals, which makes people more vulnerable but also more receptive to positive experiences and therapy.

This suggests that sensitivity should be recognized in clinical practice, allowing treatments such as full attention and relaxation techniques to adapt to these people. With about 31% of the population considered highly sensitive, the findings highlight both the risks and the therapeutic opportunities associated with this personality trait.

Key facts

Stronger risk: highly sensitive people show higher rates of depression, anxiety, PTSD and related disorders. Double edge feature: sensitivity increases stress vulnerability, but also improves the capacity to respond to positive therapy. Therapeutic implications: Personalized interventions such as attention and relaxation can be especially effective for sensitive people.

Source: Queen Mary University London

The meta -analysis of 33 studies, the first of its kind, analyzed the relationship between sensitivity and common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

The researchers found that there was a significant and positive relationship between the two, concluding that highly sensitive people are more likely to experience depression and anxiety compared to those who are less sensitive.

In the study, sensitivity was defined as a personality trait that reflects people’s ability to perceive and process environmental stimuli, such as bright lights, subtle changes in the environment and mood of other people.

It is often overlooked in mental health studies and clinical practice, which tend to focus on neuroticism and its association with mental health conditions, this research shows that understanding the level of sensitivity of a person is important and can have therapeutic implications.

For example, people with more sensitive personality traits may be more likely to benefit from treatment plans that involve techniques such as applied relaxation and full attention, which can also prevent relapses.

Tom Falkenstein, psychotherapist and doctoral student at Queen Mary of London, said:

“This is the most extensive systematic review of sensitivity and mental health in adolescents and adults to date, and it is the first meta -analysis on the subject that stimulates the impact of this relationship.

“We find positive and moderate correlations between sensitivity and various mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, post -traumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia and evicting personality disorder.

“Our findings suggest that sensitivity should be considered more in clinical practice that could be used to improve the diagnosis of conditions.”

“In addition, our findings could help improve treatment for these people. About 31% of the general population are considered highly sensitive and, as our findings show, are more likely to respond better to some psychological interventions than less sensitive people.

“Our work shows that it is crucial that the awareness of sensitivity is improved among mental health care professionals, so that doctors and professionals can recognize the trait in their patients and adapt the treatment to their sensitivity.”

Michael Pluess, Professor of Development Psychology at the University of Surrey and visiting professor at Queen Mary in London said:

“This is the first meta -analysis that provides solid evidence that highly sensitive people are more prone to common mental health problems. However, it is important to remember that highly sensitive people also respond more to positive experiences, including psychological treatment.

“Our results provide more evidence that sensitive people are more affected by negative and positive experiences and that the quality of their environment is particularly important for their well -being.”

The systematic review and the goal analysis of 33 studies were carried out by an academic team from several universities, including Queen Mary University and the University of Surrey.

On this mental health research news

Author: Lucia Graves
Source: Queen Mary University London
Contact: Lucia Graves – Queen Mary University London
Image: The image is accredited to Neuroscience News

Original research: open access.
“The relationship between environmental sensitivity and common mental health problems in adolescents and adults: a systematic review and a meta -analysis” of Tom Falkenstein et al. Clinical psychological science

Abstract

The relationship between environmental sensitivity and common mental health problems in adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta -analysis

Environmental sensitivity is a personality trait that reflects individual differences in response to environmental influences.

Although the link between common personality and psychopathology traits is well established, sensitivity to features is often overlooked despite its association with mental health.

In this study, we systematically review the literature on sensitivity and mental health results and carry out a meta -analysis to quantify the sensitivity relationship with depression and anxiety.

The review included 33 studies (n = 12,697; 62.51% female; age: m = 25.35 years) and revealed positive correlations between sensitivity and depression, anxiety, psychosomatic symptoms, obsessive compulsive disorder, post -traumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia and social phobia; The correlations varied from R = .05 A R = .65.

The general effect size was substantial for depression (R = .36, 95% confidence interval (IC) = (.30, .42), p <.001) and anxiety (R = .39, 95% IC = (.34, .44), p <.001).

The results confirm a solid association with mental health, and we explore its potential to inform the treatment and prevention.