Adaptation of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSP) and Psychometric Properties of Reduced Versions of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (R-HSP Scale) in Spanish Nursing Students

Abstract

Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) can be defined as a personality characteristic that includes the individual characteristics of sensitivity towards endogenous and exogenous stimuli. The differences in environmental sensitivity can play a crucial role in the academic context of health professionals, thus defining it as an area of research that must be addressed. The reduced scale for highly sensitive people (HSP) is a short (16 items) and adapted version of the original scale for highly sensitive people (HSP). This study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of reduced versions of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (r-HSP Scale) in Spanish nursing students. Once the questionnaire was translated, its psychometric characteristics were analyzed. The Spanish version of the r-HSP scale was administered to 284 university students enrolled in the Nursing Degree. The results from the factorial analysis confirmed the structure of sensitiveness of six factors in our sample. This structure included the following dimensions: (1) Instability, (2) Surroundings, (3) Interaction with others, (4) Sensoperception, (5) Sensitivity, and (6) Insecurity. Additionally, the Cronbach’s α values indicated that the Spanish version of the r-HSP scale had an adequate reliability (α = 0.702). The r-HSP scale is defined as a reliable, valid, and agile replica of the original structure of sensitivity in Spanish university students.