High sensitivity

Case study

The first week of the new teaching period is over. Jasper was looking forward to the new subjects and a new group project. By the end of the first week, however, his energy seems to have run out. He does not know what to do with the subject E-Marketing. The lecturer had told him about social media campaigns, SEO and Google Ads. Yet Jasper misses the overarching idea with this subject, and what he will learn about this subject in the coming period. What place does E-Marketing have in the marketing mix? When does it make sense to deploy it, and for whom? He keeps grinding because he cannot place the new information in the bigger picture.

And then the first meeting with his group for the Collaboration subject. Iris kept smiling and joking, but her eyes were not laughing. Would there be something? And Sam, with whom he unfortunately got a failing grade for an earlier project, was acting very friendly. But he raised his eyebrows when Jasper suggested conducting interviews among professionals. Later, he also stood in a corner talking to Michiel. Does Sam think Jasper is the weak link in the team? Jasper is feeling tense. How will he get through this period? He resolves to work hard, and just skip sports for a while so he has extra time for school.

What is High Sensitivity?

High sensitivity, or high sensitivity, is an innate trait in about 20% of people, and is also found in more than a hundred animal species*. This trait affects as many women as men. It is not a diagnosis, functional impairment or disorder.High sensitivity is also not listed in the DSM.

A person with this trait, a high-sensitivity person (HSP), has a more sensitive nervous system. This has been proven with fMRI testing (f functional MRI) a type of MRI examination. Highly sensitive people perceive more and in more detail. External information is processed in depth. Significantly more brain areas are involved in processing in an HSP. The brain areas for in-depth processing also appear to be more active. This takes a lot of energy and evokes a lot of tension. This has an intense impact on highly sensitive people.

At the end of the last century, Dr Elaine Aron was the first to study high sensitivity in detail. Especially since the beginning of this century, this trait got more hands and feet thanks to (international) scientific research.

How can you support highly sensitive students as a tutor?

High sensitivity may be present if a student shows the following behaviour:

• When a student seems to be more sensitive than average to sensory information.
• Demonstrates a high degree of empathy.
• Frequently appears to think deeply and intensely.
• Very and strongly reflective.
• Is sensitive to stress.

Fear of failure

Studying with a highly sensitive brain can be challenging. Especially due to the phase in deep processing of information called ‘optimal-option ambition’. This is the brain’s continuous striving to arrive at a scenario/solution that is best for the group interest. This can contribute to perfectionism and fear of failure.

The energy it takes to notice and process information, and a greater need for (quality) moments of rest, is sometimes difficult to reconcile with student life. Because of the way their system works, highly sensitive students are also at greater risk of developing burnout symptoms.

Social context

Social factors are among the most important factors for over-stimulation in the work context, according to highly sensitive individuals themselves. These include:

• a bad atmosphere
• oneness with others
• unanimity among others
• knowing gossip

This costs the HSP a lot of energy that he/she could otherwise devote to (study) work. In the courses, to prepare for the work field, we mimic the work context as much as possible, for example with group projects. The factors mentioned can then already play a role.

An HSP may come to you as a lecturer/study or learning team supervisor because he/she experiences problems in group work.

What can you do as a teacher?

• You can discuss what the group dynamics are like, and understand that this affects the HSP student.
• You can explain that these students have a focus on social cues. They also value the need for connection and harmony.
• You can help the student (and the group) discuss this properly.
• Give the student regular positive feedback. HSP students generally want to know if they are doing well. They want to know what they need to achieve, not necessarily how. When given space to determine the ‘how’ themselves, they often come up with surprisingly creative solutions.

Recovery time

Due to the intensive way in which the highly sensitive brain processes information, an HSP needs more recovery time than a non-HSP. The comparison is sometimes made a marathon runner versus a sprinter. A marathon runner uses all his energy in an endurance run. This means that a large amount of energy is used dosed over a longer distance.
A sprinter delivers peak energy. All his energy is consumed completely over a short distance for a fast time.

Both elite athletes deliver a peak performance, and both need recovery time afterwards. The marathon runner’s recovery time seems similar to the time in which this athlete delivered his effort. The sprinter’s recovery time is considerably longer when compared to the time in which the performance was delivered.

However, an HSP tends to ‘sprint a marathon’, and also ‘peak recovery’ after a peak effort, and quickly make the next effort. This causes them to undercharge their battery. As a result, stress increases. Many high-sensitivity individuals tend to perform even harder. This leads to overwork and possibly overstrain or burnout.

Micro breaks

What mainly causes overstimulation in HSP is not so much the complexity of tasks, but rather having to switch between different tasks a lot. A brain that is overstimulated and stressed has difficulty distinguishing between main and secondary issues, prioritising and making choices.

Is this the case with your student?

• Then, as a student counsellor, you can help by creating a healthy schedule and tasks that are crammed into blocks, and in which sufficient recovery time is ensured.
• Sometimes that means prioritising one thing and doing another at a later time.
• Most importantly, it helps to include sufficient micro-breaks within a schedule. Regular breaks of a few minutes can already help reduce stress hormones to normal levels. Think about going to the toilet for a moment, or taking a few good breaths before someone starts a new task. That can already do a lot and simple tips you can share.
• Are more and longer breaks needed? Then point the student to the presence of rest rooms in the HU buildings, or to the opportunities at the Science Park to take a walk in nature.

What can you refer the HU student to?

A good understanding of this trait and what is needed can greatly help the highly sensitive student stand tall. The Student Support Centre (SSC) offers the training ‘Powerfully Sensitive’. In this training of 5 meetings (physical and online), students get information on what it means to be more than average sensitive.
Topics related to high sensitivity, related traits, qualities related to high sensitivity, the social context and specifically the study/work context are discussed in depth. At the end of the training, the HSP has more insight into this trait, and tools to use high sensitivity as a quality.

More information can be found trainings & workshops on the SSC website.

Follow-up case study

Jasper speaks to his learning team supervisor at the end of the second week. He tells him that the block is disappointing him so far. Jasper decides to ask the lecturer in the next E-Marketing lesson to explain how E-Marketing can be placed in the larger marketing mix.

After consulting with his learning team supervisor, who is also a teacher of Working Together, they bring up the group dynamics together during a subsequent feedback moment. This conversation reveals that Sam actually thinks the idea of interviewing professionals is a very good plan. He also indicates that he is happy to have Jasper in the group because he finds that Jasper both keeps a good eye on the big picture and also has an eye for details. He always finds that difficult himself. Outside the group, Jasper asked how Iris was doing. She was very pleased with his genuine interest in her private situation. After this conversation, Iris decides to inform her learning team supervisor and contact a student counsellor for support.

What does the HU offer for tutors in the field of high sensitivity?

Would you like to know more about high sensitivity to better support students? Or because you might recognise the trait and are looking for a way to function well as a high-sensitivity education professional? Then feel free to contact the trainers of Powerfully Sensitive. Or take a look at:

• The book ‘The highly sensitive brain’ by Esther Bergsma in which she explains how the brain of highly sensitive individuals (HSP) works. In this video https://youtu.be/S0Vzn10uFnQ watch/listen to a brief explanation of it.
• The book ‘Stimuli don’t bite’ in which Saskia Klaaysen focuses on the ‘high-sensitive sensation seeker’. The HSP who does not necessarily thrive on rest, but is constantly looking for new, varied, complex and intense sensations and experiences, and is willing to take risks to do so.
• The book ‘Highly Sensitive Men’ by Tom Falkenstein which addresses what this trait means for men in a society where sensitivity is traditionally linked to women. (Recognising) this trait in men is often a challenge.
• The results of international research by Esther Bergsma on the conditions of highly sensitive individuals in the workplace: https://hoogsensitief.nl/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/HSP-Werk-internationaal-onderzoek.pdf
• Various websites on the subject such as highsensitive.co.uk or www.hspcoachmaaike.nl. Besides information about the trait, many blogs/articles can also be found on various topics related to high sensitivity (e.g. ‘studying with a highly sensitive brain’)
• The magazine about high sensitivity: HSP Magazine. More information can be found at hspmagazine.nl