The integral being: A qualitative investigation of highly sensitive persons and temperament-appropriate careers

This qualitative study investigated the lived experiences of highly sensitive persons (HSPs) to better understand the way they experience careers. Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is the underlying personality trait and is present in approximately 20 percent of the population, equally distributed across gender and racial lines. SPS is considered a non-normative personality trait in some Western societies and subcultures. Thus, many HSPs experience difficulty finding an appropriate match between innate temperament and career.;This qualitative research perspective employed semi-structured interviews with 35 participants recruited through social media web sites and snowball sampling. Participants in the study were primarily from the U.S., but also from five foreign countries. Participants were chosen based on answers to a recruitment questionnaire and Elaine Aron's HSP Self-Test. Major findings reveal a complex, interwoven dynamic interplay between nine major themes: (1) empathy, (2) childhood's influence, (3) self-care, (4) a rich inner life, (5) creativity, (6) high sensation-seeking, (7) the sociological perspective, (8) the experience of work, and (9) the integral being. The significance of this study is that it is the first of its kind to investigate this topic in a systematic, scientific manner.