Operationalization of the Russian Version of Highly Sensitive Person Scale

The aim of the present study was to operationalize a Russian version of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS). The empirical data were collected in two ways: active, through oral advertising and inviting those who wish to take part in the study (snowball technique) and passive (placement of ads about taking part in a research in social networks VKontakte and Facebook). As a result, 350 university students (117 men, 233 women, an average age of 18,2 (± 1,7) applied to a research laboratory and filled out the HSPS questionnaire, and another 510 respondents (380 women, 130 men, average age 22,6 ( ± 7,9) filled the HSPS online. The results of the study did not confirm the one-dimensional model of the construct, proposed by Aron & Aron (1997), as well as the most commonly used in the English-language studies three-factor solution. The hierarchical claster and confirmatory analyses used in the operationalization procedure allowed us to conclude that the variance of the Russian version of HSPS is best described in the framework of a two-factor model including the two separate subscales: Ease of Excitation (EOE), Low threshold of sensitivity (LTS). Sensory Processing Sensitivity may be defined as an increased susceptibility to external and internal stimuli, realized through negative emotional responses and deep susceptibility (distress) to excessive stimulation.