Objective: This study investigated the relationship between self-esteem and high sensitivity among Nepalese university students, with particular attention to gender differences. A total of 327 students aged 18 to 24 (137 males and 190 females) completed validated measures of Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg,1965) and the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Scale (Pluess et al., 2023), which includes three subscales: Aesthetic Sensitivity (AES), Low Sensory Threshold (LST), and Ease of Excitation (EOE).
Methods: Descriptive analyses indicated that students reported moderate to high levels of sensitivity. Females scored significantly higher than males on LST, EOE, and overall sensitivity, whereas males reported slightly higher self-esteem. Correlation analyses revealed a significant negative association between overall HSP scores and self-esteem (r = -.180, p < .01). Among the sensitivity dimensions, EOE showed the strongest negative correlation with self-esteem (r = -.232, p < .01), suggesting that students who are more easily overwhelmed by external or internal stimuli tend to report lower self-worth.
Gender-Based Findings: For males, self-esteem was negatively associated only with EOE (r = -.218, p < .05). For females, self-esteem was negatively related to both EOE (r = -.213, p < .01) and overall HSP scores (r = -.195, p < .01). Neither LST nor AES showed significant associations with self-esteem in either gender.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that heightened sensitivity particularly ease of excitation may serve as a risk factor for lower self-esteem among Nepalese university students. As self-esteem plays a crucial role in academic achievement, resilience, and overall psychological well-being, these results underscore the need to recognize high sensitivity within student populations and to develop supportive interventions. Cultural context should also be considered, as the meaning and implications of sensitivity may differ within Nepalese society.