A Survey on Sensory Hypersensitivity Among University Students in Japan and China

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate sensory hypersensitivity among university students. A 27-item questionnaire contained statements of modality-specific sensitivity (visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, and tactile). A total of 65 Japanese undergraduate students and 31 Chinese master’s students majoring in design were enrolled in the study. The results showed that (i) Design major students in the two countries reported a similar tendency of modality-specific sensitivity, and they all mostly involved visual hypersensitivity. (ii) Chinese students reported sensory hypersensitivity problems more frequently than Japanese students in all five domains. (iii) More Chinese students preferred coping with the sensory hypersensitivity by avoidance than Japanese students, whereas more Japanese students preferred coping with it by bearing. Our study suggests that the prevalence of and coping strategies for sensory hypersensitivity differs between the countries.