Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a temperament trait characterized by increased sensitivity to environmental and social stimuli.
Individuals with high SPS, known as highly sensitive persons (HSPs), process information more deeply and are more easily overwhelmed by intense or prolonged stimulation.
Saglietti, M., Marini, M., & Livi, S. (2024). In their narratives: academic socialization in the experience of sensory processing sensitivity among university students. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1448443. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1448443
Key Points
- This exploratory study investigated the academic socialization experiences of highly sensitive university students in Italy through thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews.
- Factors like anxiety, shyness, perfectionism, fear of judgment, and introversion significantly affected the students’ university experiences, peer relationships, and interactions with teachers.
- The research identified helpful resources for highly sensitive students, including inclusive learning environments, detailed study plans, small group work, and options for online classes and written exams.
- The study has limitations such as a small sample size and lack of diversity. More research is needed to better understand highly sensitive students’ experiences and develop inclusive university strategies.
Rationale
Much of the existing worldwide research on sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) and environmental sensitivity (ES) has relied on data from university students, especially those studying psychology (Aron & Aron, 1997; Aron et al., 2005; Jagiellowicz et al., 2011; Liss et al., 2005, 2008).
However, there is little qualitative research exploring the actual academic and social experiences of highly sensitive university students.
Previous studies have shown that university students with high SPS scores are at greater risk for mental health issues like anxiety and depression (Liss et al., 2005, 2008), lower subjective well-being, and increased stress (Gerstenberg, 2012; Jagiellowicz et al., 2016; Rubaltelli et al., 2018).
Research by May and Pitman (2023) found that highly sensitive South African psychology students reported worse adjustment to university, likely due to higher neural sensitivity and negative affectivity.
Similarly, Yano et al. (2021) documented a link between poor emotion-coping skills and depression in highly sensitive Japanese university students.
To address the lack of in-depth research on highly sensitive students’ lived experiences, this exploratory study aimed to 1) understand their broader academic socialization process, and 2) identify factors that help or hinder them in adapting to university life.
Giving voice to these students’ unique challenges and strengths is an important next step in developing more inclusive higher education environments.
Method
This qualitative study analyzed data from nine semi-structured interviews with highly sensitive Italian university students.
Participants were recruited on a voluntary basis and pre-screened using the 20-item “Are You Highly Sensitive?” self-test (Aron, 1996).
Hour-long interviews were conducted from March to July 2022 either via Zoom or in-person.
The interview questions explored topics like the students’ university experiences, relationships with peers and teachers, and coping strategies.
Interviews were video-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2022).
Sample
9 students (8 female) aged between 21 and 27. The sample included both undergraduate and graduate students from different universities and disciplines.
Results
Six main themes emerged from the thematic analysis:
1. Self-definitions
Many students described themselves as anxious, shy, or perfectionistic. For example, I2 shared:
“I’ve always given more importance for me being shy… when I find myself trusting someone, then I also show this side of me that is maybe very prone to getting anxious.”
2. University experience
Interviewees reported using detailed study plans and schedules to manage anxiety. I9 explained:
“My method to manage anxiety and stress is organization. So, usually when I know that I have to take some exam, when we start, I start to gather all materials, divide them, and organize tables.”
Participants generally preferred written exams and small classes to limit overstimulation. I1 noted:
“If the exam is written, I’m always more relaxed… during a written exam, since I only have to interact with the paper or, well, with the computer now, I feel less anxious because I know I can take my time to think and reason.”
3. Classroom experiences
Online classes during COVID-19 were seen as distracting but also protective, as I4 described:
“I was less anxious about going there, seeing what it’s like, etcetera, because being at home I only had to experience the anxiety of intervening in class; it was always there, anyway.”
Speaking up in class provoked anxiety for many interviewees due to fear of judgment or making mistakes.
4. Physical, emotional, and cognitive states during/after exams
Students reported intense anxiety, overthinking, and even physical symptoms around exams. I2 shared:
“I’m drained, completely drained… I went to bed, and I was there facing the void. I didn’t even have the energy to eat.”
After exams, participants engaged in self-care activities to recover. I6 noted:
“Then here you go for a walk, an aperitif, and then you also release a lot of tension, by also doing something that makes you feel good, no?”
5. Peer relationships
Interviewees valued supportive friendships but struggled with new social situations. I3 reflected:
“Maybe about some relationships with friends I have created, maybe high sensitivity has blocked me a little, held me back in going very deep in making myself known or in knowing others.”
Small group work and shared interests facilitated positive peer interactions for these highly sensitive students.
6. Student-teacher relationships
Participants generally described student-teacher relationships as “tense” due to power imbalances and fear of judgment. I7 explained:
“I always see the teacher as a teacher, as a person with whom … that is, when I speak to them, I am perhaps a bit intimidated.”
Positive interactions occurred when teachers were emotionally supportive and reassuring. I1 recalled a helpful professor:
“I entered the online exam room, and the first thing he noticed was that I was nervous. The first thing he said to me was, ‘Stay calm.’ When he said that, I felt completely at ease.”
Insight and Depth
This study provides valuable insights into the lived academic experiences of highly sensitive university students.
By centering the students’ own narratives, the research reveals how SPS traits like emotional reactivity, deep information processing, and susceptibility to overstimulation manifest in higher education settings.
The findings paint a rich picture of the challenges highly sensitive learners navigate, from managing anxiety around exams and class participation to cultivating supportive peer and teacher relationships.
At the same time, the students’ stories highlight their resilience, self-awareness, and proactive coping strategies like advance planning and self-care.
Strengths
This study has several methodological strengths:
- Qualitative, narrative approach provides an in-depth understanding of highly sensitive students’ experiences in their own words
- Semi-structured interview guide allows for both consistency and flexibility in data collection
- Inclusion of students from various disciplines and stages expands applicability beyond just psychology majors
- Rigorous thematic analysis identifies key patterns while preserving each participant’s unique perspective
- Reflexive journaling by researchers enhances transparency and trustworthiness of interpretations
Limitations
However, some limitations should be considered when interpreting the results:
- Small sample size (n=9) and lack of diversity (only Italian university students) limit generalizability
- Self-selection bias, as volunteers may differ from other highly sensitive students
- Reliance on self-report for SPS screening rather than clinical assessment
- Exclusion of university dropouts, whose experiences may reflect more severe academic challenges
- Potential impact of researchers’ own backgrounds and assumptions on data analysis
These constraints suggest caution in extending the findings to all highly sensitive university students and highlight the need for further research with larger, more diverse samples.
Including more standardized SPS measures and longitudinal designs could also strengthen future studies.
Implications
Despite the limitations, this study has important implications for supporting highly sensitive students’ wellbeing and success in higher education. The findings suggest that universities should consider:
- Training faculty and staff on SPS and strategies for creating inclusive classrooms
- Offering diverse assessment options (e.g., written vs. oral exams) to reduce anxiety
- Providing counseling services tailored to highly sensitive students’ unique stressors
- Facilitating small group learning experiences and interest-based social events
- Communicating clear expectations and feedback to ease student-teacher tensions
By understanding and validating highly sensitive learners’ experiences, educators can foster more supportive environments that allow these students to reach their full academic potential.
This research also underscores the value of qualitative, student-centered studies for uncovering both challenges and best practices in teaching highly sensitive individuals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this exploratory study offers a nuanced glimpse into the academic lives of highly sensitive Italian university students.
Through their narratives, participants revealed the pervasive impact of SPS traits like anxiety, introversion, and fear of judgment on their university experiences, relationships, and coping strategies.
At the same time, the findings highlight these students’ strengths, including self-awareness, careful planning, and commitment to doing their best.
By shedding light on both the challenges and the resilience of highly sensitive learners, this research argues for more inclusive, responsive higher education environments.
However, the study’s limited sample and scope underscore the need for further qualitative research on highly sensitive students’ experiences across diverse contexts.
As our understanding of this unique population grows, so too will our ability to support their wellbeing and success.
Ultimately, creating university spaces where all students can thrive—sensitive and non-sensitive alike—is both a moral and practical imperative.
This thoughtful, student-centered study brings us one step closer to that goal.
References
Primary reference
Saglietti, M., Marini, M., & Livi, S. (2024). In their narratives: academic socialization in the experience of sensory processing sensitivity among university students. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1448443. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1448443
Other references
Aron, E. N. (1996). The highly sensitive person: How to thrive when the world overwhelms you. Broadway Books.
Aron, E. N., & Aron, A. (1997). Sensory-processing sensitivity and its relation to introversion and emotionality. Journal of personality and social psychology, 73(2), 345.
Aron, E. N., Aron, A., & Davies, K. M. (2005). Adult shyness: The interaction of temperamental sensitivity and an adverse childhood environment. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31(2), 181-197. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167204271419
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE.
Gerstenberg, F. X. (2012). Sensory-processing sensitivity predicts performance on a visual search task followed by an increase in perceived stress. Personality and Individual Differences, 53(4), 496-500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2012.04.019
Jagiellowicz, J., Aron, A., & Aron, E. N. (2016). Relationship between the temperament trait of sensory processing sensitivity and emotional reactivity. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, 44(2), 185-199. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2016.44.2.185
Jagiellowicz, J., Xu, X., Aron, A., Aron, E., Cao, G., Feng, T., & Weng, X. (2011). The trait of sensory processing sensitivity and neural responses to changes in visual scenes. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 6(1), 38-47. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsq001
Liss, M., Mailloux, J., & Erchull, M. J. (2008). The relationships between sensory processing sensitivity, alexithymia, autism, depression, and anxiety. Personality and individual differences, 45(3), 255-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.04.009
Liss, M., Timmel, L., Baxley, K., & Killingsworth, P. (2005). Sensory processing sensitivity and its relation to parental bonding, anxiety, and depression. Personality and individual differences, 39(8), 1429-1439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2005.05.007
May, A. K., & Pitman, M. M. (2023). The association between sensory processing sensitivity, the five-factor model and university adjustment amongst South African university students. Current Psychology, 42(10), 7938-7952. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02035-5
Rubaltelli, E., Scrimin, S., Moscardino, U., Priolo, G., & Buodo, G. (2018). Media exposure to terrorism and people’s risk perception: The role of environmental sensitivity and psychophysiological response to stress. British Journal of Psychology, 109(4), 656-673. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12292
Yano, K., Kase, T., & Oishi, K. (2021). Sensory processing sensitivity moderates the relationships between life skills and depressive tendencies in university students 1. Japanese Psychological Research, 63(3), 152-163. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpr.12289
Keep learning
Here are some Socratic questions for a college class to discuss this paper:
- How might the experience of being a highly sensitive university student differ across cultures or educational systems? What cultural factors could impact academic socialization for this population?
- The study found that highly sensitive students often struggle with anxiety, especially around exams and class participation. How could universities redesign assessments or classroom environments to be more inclusive of neurodiverse learners?
- Many interviewees described tension in their relationships with professors due to fear of judgment or power imbalances. What steps could faculty take to build more supportive, trusting connections with highly sensitive students?
- The researchers note that their sample did not include any university dropouts, whose experiences may reflect more severe challenges. How might the themes identified in this study relate to student retention and success? What additional support might highly sensitive students at risk of dropping out need?
- Some participants found online classes during the pandemic to be both distracting and protective, as they limited certain social overstimulation. As higher education increasingly moves toward hybrid or digital learning, how can we create online environments that balance highly sensitive students’ need for engagement and accommodation?
- This study argues for the importance of qualitative, student-centered research for understanding the experiences of unique learner populations like highly sensitive individuals. What other groups of students might benefit from more qualitative, narrative-based studies? How can universities better incorporate student perspectives into campus policy and practice decisions?
- Research suggests that high sensitivity is both genetic and influenced by environment/experiences (e.g., adverse childhood events). How might universities support highly sensitive students with a history of trauma? What additional challenges might these students face in their academic socialization process?
- The researchers suggest that highly sensitive students’ challenges are often rendered invisible, as they tend to be high-achieving perfectionists. How can we reframe academic success to better account for students’ emotional wellbeing and not just their grades? What would a more holistic, inclusive definition of student success look like?
