Highly sensitive individuals during war – the case of Israeli adults after the October 7, 2023, terror attack

Abstract This research examines the well-being of highly sensitive individuals two months after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Participants were 410 Israeli adults, who completed self-report questionnaires in two phases. First, they completed the Highly Sensitive Person Scale - Brief Version (HSP-12), the Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures Questionnaire (ECR-RS), and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF). Then they were asked to listen to a certain Israeli song that had become a prayer and hope for the hostages coming back home and to fill out the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Results showed negative association between HSP and well-being and positive association with negative affect (i.e. negative emotional response) during exposure to the song. No association was found with positive affect (i.e. positive emotional response). These findings indicate worse outcomes for HSPs under highly stressful conditions and point to the need for further research, specifically longitudinal research, within mental health care regarding individual differences in temperament and the need for screening individuals for high sensitivity for better use of clinical interventions.