.
Comprehensive Version
beta version 0.9, 9/21/97 (there are typos
here and there...)
(100 questions)
Brief version (20 questions) is here.
Notes to the Test Taker:
This is a series of 100 statements regarding all aspects of
SuperSensitivity. If you take this test honestly, you should how
SuperSensitive you are. It is not a checklist of what to do with your
SuperSensitivity; it simply measures one's degree of
SuperSensitivity.
The test is not scientific. However, I have been developing
these questions since 1992, when I first lectured about the
SuperSensitive client, which is one of the client types that I've
trained coaches to work well with. The real authority on this subject
is Elaine Aron,
PhD, who wrote the best selling book "The Highly Sensitive
Person." You can order the book from
www.amazon.com or pick it up at
your local bookstore. I defer to Elaine on the technical,
psychological and physiological areas of the Super/Highly Sensitive
Person. I am focusing primarily on how to quickly recognize and
effectively coach this type of person, of which I include myself.
Scoring
You'll be giving yourself a score of 0, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or 1 full point
for each of the following statements, as follows:
0 = Not True
1/4 = Somewhat True
1/2 = True
3/4 = Very True
1 = Extremely True
Note: You may have learned how to cope or 'get beyond' some of
the things mentioned in the following 100 questions. In this case,
please score yourself as if you still have the habit, problem
or item. Remember, this is not a test to see how well you are able to
manage your life; it's a test to see how sensitive you are.
Please note that each word in the sentence matters, especially words
like 'very' or 'frequently' or 'need' or 'much."
The maximum possible score is 100. Any score above 70 clearly
indicates a Super Sensitive Person. 60-70 indicates Fairly Sensitive,
40-60 indicates Somewhat Sensitive and 0-40 indicates Not Really
Sensitive. The focus of the test is to help the SuperSensitive
confirm that they are SuperSensitive and to be an affirming
exercise, given they will 'see themselves' more clearly. The phrasing
I've used should help the SuperSensitive Person realize just how
normal they are, given they are an SSP!
1. My Experience of Childhood
Not True - Somewhat True - True - Very True
- Absolutely True!
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 1. I was the
one who was often called a crybaby by my family, friends or
schoolmates
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 2. I
frequently overreacted (either internally or externally) to
situations or people when I felt that I needed something but
they couldn't/wouldn't provide it for me.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 3. I was much
more afraid or fearful of new places, situations or people, than
others were, even if there was no apparent threat.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 4. I found myself
often feeling overwhelmed when in busy or loud environments, such as
shopping centers, parks or classrooms.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 5. I couldn't
understand why the other kids my age could be so confident or
fearless.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 6. I found it
very difficult to learn certain skills or grasp
information/schoolwork that I knew wasn't that difficult, but
that I just couldn't get without a lot of effort.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 7. My parents had
a very difficult/frustrating time with me and/or had to work
extra hard in order to take care of my emotional needs.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 8. I was
extremely shy on the inside, even if I did force myself to relate
with others.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 9. I found it
almost impossible to say what I really meant without it coming out a
mush.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 10. I was
very tentative or hesitant, even in situations that were
perfectly safe.
______Section Point Total
2. The Choices I Made During Childhood
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 1. I
definitely avoided sports or games as a child and/or adult, or
would have, if I felt that I had the choice.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 2. The
need to stay safe was an overriding concern or priority
.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 3. I tended to
have none, one or two friends who were very close to me. Beyond that,
almost no one.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 4. I knew at an
early age that the world wasn't for getting too involved with; I had
to have my own life, mostly inside myself or physically inside.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 5. I often
took great steps to avoid the anger or moods of others, such as
going elsewhere, or retreating to a super safe place of my own.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 6. I decided that
people were to be approached cautiously, given I couldn't predict if
they would like me or how they would react if they got to know
me.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 7. I realized
early on that I did poorly under pressure, so I went out of my way to
fully prepare for tests or new situations.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 8. As a child, I
lived in fear, although I got used to it and could cope pretty
well.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 9. When I was
doted upon by SuperSensitive adults, their nurturing meant the
world to me; far more than the attention of others.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 10. I look back
to a select few who 'understood me' and to whom I give credit even
now for 'keeping me alive.'
______Section Point Total
3. How I Experience Life In General
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 1. I am
easily hurt by things that don't seem to hurt others at
all.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 2. I find myself
having very intense feelings (positive or negative), which
often fade away within a day and I wonder why it seemed to matter so
much at the time.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 3. I tend to be
strongly affected by events that happened a long time ago and
I still emotionally and even physically feel the feelings that
I experienced when the negative event occurred, even if it occurred
many years, or decades, ago.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 4. It is/was very
difficult for me to find the right type of work that was fulfilling,
yet challenging and that tapped into my sensitivity enough for
the nature of the work to matter.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 5. I am/was
very much aware of my fears or I talk about fear a lot as a
subject matter.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 6. I'd rather
miss out on a real opportunity than to take a risk that I may may
make a big mistake in the process.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 7. My avocation
or vocation is that of a writer, artist, librarian/information
expert, advisor/counselor or any other profession which is not
aggressive or in which I would encounter the kind of conflict that I
would fear or dread.
- ST - T - VT - AT 8. I am coming to
realize that my extreme sensitivity is a gift; I only wish it came
with exact instructions. I can see the possibility of orienting my
life around this trait, instead of merely 'managing it.'
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 9. I find that I
can't/won't do business with vendors/suppliers who won't take extra
care with me or who don't value my sense of perfection.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 10. I am
extremely careful to arrange my environment to suit me perfectly; I
know that without that I quickly lose my sense of balance and
safety.
______Section Point Total
4. How I Relate With Others
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 1. I find myself
emulating those who I admire; I want to be more like them.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 2. I find it
naturally difficult to look others in the eye on a regular basis.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 3. I am eager to
please, far more than most.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 4. I feel
strongly that I want to offer the best possible advice or
counsel that exists, even if it means lots of studying or preparing
to reach this wise state; I feel that it's my duty, obligation or
opportunity and that it matters a lot.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 5. If I failed
once with a person, I find it very difficult to ever forget it. When
I am with them, I tend to be reminded of it, on my own.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 6. I need to
isolate myself, or at least not socialize, when I have been
overexposed to stimuli, even if it was for a short period.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 7. I feel that
people are measuring or judging me more than they really are.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 8. I
easily anticipate what people are feeling and what they are
going to do next.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 9. Meeting new
people is really a challenge, or at least it takes something out of
me and I have to recover in my own way.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 10. I go out
of my way to make people comfortable and put them at ease; I know
how I'd feel if I was them.
______Section Point Total
5. Physical Clues
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 1. I had/have a
deer-in-headlights look some or much of the time.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 2. I walk/walked
with my eyes/head more down than up.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 3. I stood/stand
somewhat sideways when speaking with another person.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 4. I often
have/had a woeful/sad/abandoned/lonely/scared look in my eyes.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 5. My heart
starts to beat really rapidly - pounding, really -- when I
become frightened.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 6. I instantly
break out in a cold sweat when I feel threatened, even if the threat
is not even real.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 7. I blush easily
when embarrassed and cast my eyes and head downward.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 8.When I feel
pressured, watched or measured, I immediately lose my concentration
and/or begin to tremble, just because.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 9. I tend to be
clumsy or awkward when using my body -- at the very least I'm not
naturally coordinated, although I get by.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 10. I am like a
cat: cautious, wary, easily alarmed.
______Section Point Total
6. Relating With My Environment
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 1. I notice the
details or subtleties of things around me far more than others
do, such as trees/nature, weather, layout of rooms, people's
moods/energy, colors, textures and/or temperature.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 2. I find myself
inexplicably very tired or drained after being in a chaotic or
busy environment for more than several hours.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 3. I find myself
needing to be in a quiet and/or dark room like my bedroom,
away from everything, at least once a week, for no apparent
reason.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 4. I feel
waves of relief when I 'get through' a difficult experience,
more than the situation seemed to merit.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 5. I feel/have
felt the need to carefully and deeply craft and design my
physical environment so that I feel perfectly safe, protected
from the unexpected.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 6. I feel that I
must be 'taking in' a lot from my environment -- even things
I'm unaware of -- because it affects me so.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 7. I
easily see how other peoples' environments are directly affecting
them, even when the person can't see it themselves.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 8. I don't like
to learn by memorization. Rather, I need to feel the
information so that I just 'know it." It's like I learn through my
pores.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 9. It takes me
longer than most to recover from physical stress like flying (jet
lag) or a to new environment. Sometimes I have to nap to adjust.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 10. I am
extremely aware of people, places and things, especially when
something moves or changes or the pattern is different than I
expected.
______Section Point Total
7. How I React
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 1.I feel/felt
feel an inordinate amount of shame, even for things that
shouldn't matter
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 2. I often cry at
almost anything that reminds me of difficult times in
childhood or even adulthood, or of people who I cared for deeply
because they protected me.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 3. I am sometimes
frightened by the intensity of my emotions or feelings; I feel so
much.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 4. I am prone to
becoming depressed.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 5. I overreact
frequently and experience many false alarms.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 6. I feel dread
much more than others, and I even dread feeling dread.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 7. I tend to shut
down mentally, physically or emotionally when I get overstimulated; I
must stop, retreat or escape. I must.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 8. When an idea
comes to me I often ruminate and 'play' with it, in order to
see all sides of it so that I'll be in a good position to do the
right thing with it when the time is right.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 9. I don't just
drink coffee in order to get a physical buzz; I drink it (or other
drinks containing caffeine) in order to keep my emotional
state in peak readiness.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 10. When I become
adrenalined up, I can't calm down and it may take 3-4 days of
extreme calmness to get back to that quiet state that I know is
'me.'
______Section Point Total
8. How Stimulation Affects Me
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 1.When I listen
to music, it greatly affects me-- to the point of taking over
my body, mind and heart and not just altering my mood but altering
ME.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 2. I must
have regular/frequent solitude in order to feel balanced and
function well.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 3. Even if I like
television a lot, I KNOW that it has move of an affect on me that I
can 'afford.'
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 4. I startle
easily and physically jump or jolt, especially when I am
concentrating deeply.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 5. Almost
everything is a source of stimulation for me, whether I recognize it
in time or not.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 6. I understand
the need to carefully regulate how much stimulation I receive.
If I receive too much, I know that I'll have to deal with an extended
recovery period.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 7. I can get
worked up in an instant and not be able to calm myself
down.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 8. I have to
cover my ears when I hear a siren coming my way because I'll feel
'piercing' to the depth of my bones if I don't.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 9. When I am
around loud or hyper people, I find myself trying to keep up with
them or perhaps defending myself against them, often unconsciously.
It's like I am attracted to their power, personality, character trait
or style and I want a piece of it for my life.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 10. I am often
surprised by how things that affect me greatly can have almost no
impact on others.
______Section Point Total
9. How I Perceive Myself & My Related
Traits
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 1. I often wonder
if, or feel strongly that, I must have a fatal flaw, because I
am so sensitive.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 2. I am so
powerfully intuitive that even intuitive people seek me out for my
observations or thoughts.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 3. I have always
been, or felt, extremely creative. I can't not create and
people ask me how I do it.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 4. I often
reflect on the days' events or issues, or how I am developing as
a person.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 5. I strive to
better things around me and reduce the problems that people are
suffering from, because I feel these problems so deeply myself.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 6. My self-esteem
is not naturally high. It seems like I have to keep filling it
up.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 7. I long or used
to long to be like those who are much more outgoing because it seemed
that they can get/do what they want without hesitation or delay.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 8. I know that my
sensitivity is a good thing, but it often seems a lot bigger than I
am. I feel like the tail of the dog, with the dog being my
sensitivity.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 9. I feel that my
life is much richer that others think it must be. It really
is, no matter how it might look to others.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 10. I have often
felt that if I was less sensitive that I'd have been much more
successful in the traditional sense.
______Section Point Total
10. How Others View Me
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 1. Others have
often called me gifted, even though I wonder if that's really the
case.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 2 .I tend to be
viewed as unsociable; I'm not one to want to be in a lot of other
people's company.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 3. People tend
call me a visionary because I often think of what the future
will bring.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 4. People think
that I care about things far too much.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 5. People who
are less sensitive find dealing with me a lot of 'extra' work and
usually tire of it.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 6. I do know
that others perceive me as different and I don't blame them; I
am.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 7. I often
wonder if I'll ever be able to design and live my life in such a way
so that satisfies me that I won't care at all what
others think of me, my sensitivity or my life.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 8. People tend
to take pity on me because I am so sensitive. Sometimes I feel like a
petted animal.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 9. People trust
me to do a good job; they know that I'm focused on doing things
right, on my own.
NT - ST - T - VT - ET 10. People who
aren't very sensitive tend to make fun of me, perhaps because I am so
different.
______Section Point Total
______Grand Total Score from all 10 Sections
Copyright 1997 by Thomas J. Leonard/Coach University. All rights
reserved, but you may freely reproduce or transmit if attribution is
given.
The SuperSensitive.com website was developed by
Thomas
J. Leonard, who is an SSP. His score on
this test was 88.5