Were you a “gifted kid”? What did you learn about this growing up? Giftedness can be a poorly understood topic in psychology. The research on it continues to evolve, as it does for many of the concepts psychologists talk about, but it lags behind a bit. There are several authors writing on this subject, all with advanced knowledge of neuropsychology, that I have relied upon in my work to guide my thinking, but some questions remain under debate.
While we may still be working to understand all the facets of giftedness, I am convinced that it is an important aspect of a person’s psychology. The research suggests that giftedness can influence a person’s thinking style, problem-solving, interests, social behavior and relationships, emotional processing, and a number of other aspects of their personal experience. And yet, many gifted kids and adults are not told this. They are not given any way to make sense of their giftedness and integrate it into their self-understanding. And it can be misunderstood, either by the person themselves, their family members, or the professionals helping them.
If this becomes relevant in an assessment you and I do together, we will talk about what this means for you. If you suspect this could be relevant to you and want to be assessed, reach out. Whether it is or it isn’t, we will put your results in context and help you understand yourself better. I am happy to recommend some resources for further reading and research.
