Mis-Diagnosis+and+Dual+Diagnosis+of+Gifted+Chilldren


 * Author: Alēm Roberts**


 * Title: Mis Diagnosis and Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Childre****n**

//Note: I figured that since we are discussing this topic for week 3, it might do a bit more research on the implications of the mis-diagnosis of gifted children. The dual diagnosis aspect is something that// will also be interesting to expand upon. Let's see where the research will lead...

Many gifted and talented children are being misdiagnosed by pediatricians, psychologists, and other health care professionals.
 * Who Is Giving the Mis Diagnosis and Why?**

The most common misdiagnoses are: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (OD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Asperger's Disorder, and Mood Disorders such as Cyclothymic Disorder, Dysthymic Disorder, Depression, Bi-Polar Disorder, Schizoid Personality disorder and Avoidant Personality Disorder. These common misdiagnoses stem from a lack of knowledge on the part of professionals about the specific social and emotional characteristics of gifted children. Thus, gifted children are remaining unidentified because medical professionals are mistakenly associating the signs of these disorders with the characteristics of gifted children.
 * Common Mis Diagnoses:**

Historically, research on the gifted and talented has focused on intellect and academic aspects. Only recently has there been any focus given to the personality that accompanies high intellect and creativity. One of the most universal, yet most overlooked characteristics of the gifted child is their intensity. A gifted child's characteristics of intensity, sensitivity, impatience, and high motor activity can easily be mistaken for ADHD or ADD. Gifted children rarely have problems with focused attention or impulsiveness in areas they are interested in. Yet despite this, gifted children are more likely to be at risk psychologically to both internal characteristics and situational factors.
 * What Has the Research Shown?**

**What Are the Characteristics of a Gifted Child Who Is Mis Diagnosed?**As stated, gifted children are extremely intense - whether in their emotional response, intellectual endevors, sibling rivalry, or power struggles with authority figures. Impatience is also frequently present, both with oneself and with others. The intensity also manifests itself in heightened motor activity and physical restlessness. Along with intensity, gifted individuals often show extreme sensitivity to emotions, sounds, touch, taste, and smell.

There have been in recent years increasing claims in both popular and professional literature for a connection between bipolar illness and giftedness. A review of studies supporting this claim reveals serious flaws in sampling, methodology, presentation of results, and conclusions. Although there is therefore no evidence for etiological or genetic linkages, it is still necessary to understand and explain the interrelationships in those creative/gifted persons suffering from the illness.
 * Bi-Polar Disorder and Giftedness:**


 * Dual Diagnoses**

Learning Disabilities and Giftedness. Giftedness is a coexisting factor, to be sure, in some diagnoses. One notable example is in diagnosis and treatment of learning disabilities. Few psychologists are aware that inter-subscale scatter on the Wechsler intelligence tests increases as a child’s overall IQ score exceeds 130. In children with a Full Scale IQ score of 140 or greater, it is not uncommon to find a difference of 20 or more points between Verbal IQ and Performance IQ. Most clinical psychologists are taught that such a discrepancy is serious cause for concern regarding possible serious brain dysfunction, including learning disabilities. For highly gifted children, such discrepancy is far less likely to be an indication of pathological brain dysfunction, though it certainly would suggest an unusual learning style and perhaps a relative learning disability. Similarly, the difference between the highest and lowest scores on individual subscales within intelligence and achievement tests is often quite notable in gifted children. On the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - III, it is not uncommon to find subscale differences greater than seven scale score points for gifted children, particularly those who are highly gifted.

These score discrepancies are taken by most psychologists to indicate learning disabilities, and in a functional sense they do represent that. That is, the levels of ability do vary dramatically, though the range may be “only” from Very Superior to Average level of functioning. In this sense, gifted children may not “qualify” for a diagnosis of learning disability, and indeed some schools seem to have a policy of “only one label allowed per student,” and since this student is gifted, he/she can not also be considered learning disabled. However, it is important for psychologists to understand the concept of “asynchronous development” and to appreciate that most gifted children show such an appreciable, and often significant, scatter of abilities.


 * References**

Rothenberg, A. **Bipolar illness, creativity, and treatment.** Psychiatr Q 2001 Summer;72(2):131-47

Neihart, M. Neihart, **Symposium on Cutting Edge Minds—What it Means to be Exceptional**, paper presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Washington, D.C., August 7, 2000.