Flourishing as a highly sensitive person: a mixed method study on the role of nature connectedness and chaotic home environment

Susan Carroll ¹ Anna O'Brien ¹ Francesca Lionetti ² Anna O’Reilly ¹ Annalisa Setti ^1,3*

• ¹ School of Applied Psychology, College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
• ² Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Lombardy, Italy
• ³ Environmental Research Institute, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork, Cork, County Cork, Ireland

Theories of Environmental Sensitivity postulate that those who are highly sensitive thrive in favourable contexts and are more disadvantaged by unfavourable ones, however negative outcomes, instead of positive, are more often investigated. Here, instead, we focus on human flourishing, and what promotes it or hinders it. Recent literature shows that those who are highly sensitive are more connected with nature, and nature connectedness is known to confer psychological benefits. On the contrary, a chaotic home environment is associated with decreased well-being. We hypothesise that a chaotic home environment will negatively impact flourishing more so for those who are highly sensitive, while being connected with nature will impact them more positively. Middle and older adulthood are less investigated stages of life; we surveyed 856 participants aged 40+ on their level of Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS), flourishing, current chaos in the home and nature connectedness. We then interviewed a subsample of 12 highly sensitive people to better understand the role of these dimensions in flourishing as a highly sensitive person. Results from the quantitative analysis revealed that flourishing was positively associated with nature connectedness and age, and negatively with higher SPS. Nature connectedness significantly moderated the relationship between sensitivity and flourishing, while level of chaos did not. This interaction was not significant in the youngest (40-49 years) cohort. Qualitative data from interviews with 12 participants provided deeper insights into the challenges faced by highly sensitive individuals, including emotional reactivity and feelings of being different, exacerbated by stressors such as noise and conflict at home. Participants reported significant benefits from nature. Overall, the results showed that connecting with nature is a significant contributor to flourishing in highly sensitive people and more so in the middle to older age. The results support future nature-based interventions to flourish as highly sensitive person.