The Highly Sensitive Person (book and self-test)

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I recently came across the following self-test (questionaire):

http://www.hsperson.com/pages/test.htm

(I scored a 19 on it.)

The test is based on the book, The Highly Sensitive Person, which apparently tries to put an upbeat face on what occupational therapists refer to as sensory processing disorder (SPD). However, the American Psychiatric Association does not include SPD in the DSM-IV-TR and, from what I have read, they are unlikely to include it (at least as a primary condition) in the DSM-V.

Aside from the questionaire itself, it appears to me, though I am not a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist, that SPD is basically one of the faces of Asperger's syndrome. Does anyone have any thoughts on this subject?

I definitely think that sensory processing issues are a key factor in autism in general. I see a lot of kids in my professional life that start out with SPD diagnoses and eventually move to PDD or ASD diagnoses. Of course, look around in a room with a bunch of ASD people and the sensory issues are huge!

BTW I scored 21.

Last edited by Liverbird on 05 Nov 2007, 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

Self-Test Results

You have indicated that 25 of the items are true of you.




It did seem like autism test.

I scored a 22. I came across that site about 3 yrs ago, and I was convinced that that's what was different about me. I found out about autism, and AS about 18 months ago. They seem to be speaking of the same thing to me, or at least very similar.

I scored 19. No idea what it means though.

Here are the evaluation instructions from the site:

Scoring:
If you answered more than fourteen of the questions as true of yourself, you are probably highly sensitive. But no psychological test is so accurate that an individual should base his or her life on it. We psychologists try to develop good questions, then decide on the cut off based on the average response.

If fewer questions are true of you, but extremely true, that might also justify calling you highly sensitive.

You have indicated that 23 of the items are true of you.

"You have indicated that 18 of the items are true of you."

21

What I read is that SPD is only diagnosed by occupational therapists. Is that true in your experience?

However, it was interesting reading the information on this subject. It was as if SPD described a portion of my AS but not all of it.

HSP is not a diagnosis as such it is something that Elane N. Aron has written about. She is a Freudian psychotherapist she is as mad as they get

SPD is a bit like dyslexia (now called specific learning difficulties) it describes a broad range of things. You can be SPD with autism or not.

Ok, so now I discover that SPD is NOT a separate disorder afterall , ( ??! !??) despite having been kindly and authoratively informed that it WAS , separate dis, by Githoniel, health professional of some kind, on a thread a bit back,
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postxf47032-0-45.html

So in that case anything that can reduce SP difficulties IS actually reducing AS symptoms!!

Which is what I thought about 2 weeks ago until Githoniel told me otherwise, and also explained that the SPD is comorbid in 75% of AS cases , that is why it is NOT considered a "part" of AS. Because it can exist separately , AND AS can exist without Sensory processing difficulties/disorders.

But if it IS part of AS then gluten-free diets really can do something for AS because it is largely the Sensory difficulties, my exp of my body and physical reality , (aswell as certain depressive/hypomanic tendencies), which is helped by my cutting out wheat etc.

So SPD does NOT have sep dis status. Hmm.
How do the health professionals agree mongst themselves then ?!



PS:The test itself is for introversion, the new definition ( debated by some , Anbuend on here for instance) based on findings about differences between introvert and extrovert brains ( optimum-activity-stimuli levels),and on which the Myers-Briggs tests are increasingly based. Theory being that introverts brains are always more active than extroverts brains because of processing lots more internal data than extrovert, AND that consequently introverts will need quieter environments to top-function, whereas extroverts will need increased outer stimuli to hit their optimum stimuli level for good functioning. But yes it seems to be test for Sensory processing capacities.

I'm inclined to be critical of this test, honestly. I think most people without serious sensory disturbances would still answer "yes" to many of the questions.

I mean "being very hungry creates a strong reaction in me, disrupting my concentration or mood?" How does a "yes" indicate anything outside the realm of normalcy?

I scored 25

26/27

That was fun for some reason. Though actually that same site claimed highly sensitive doesn't equal Asperger's and that's actually the sign you don't have it.

As I've said in other threads, still comfused what's considered Asperger's and what is not