Gifted children do exist, despite the arguments of professors and consultants who state otherwise. To state giftedness is nonexistent is to put gifted children at risk, academically, socially, and emotionally.
8:30 AM. Her door was open, the room was dark.
“Hey, bug,” I whispered. “ You alright?”
Snurf. “‘’Mfine. Wonderful, actually.”
“You don’t sound like it.” She was crying. I wondered how far I should pry.
Her form shifted under the covers. The air crackled with her thinking.
Sniff. “I don’t want to talk about it. Please leave me here in bed.”
Last spring I encountered a curious movement. It started with an excerpt from this book, authored by Stanford mathematics and education professor Jo Baoler. Baoler’s position? The idea of giftedness is an artificial construct, a label as damaging as it is untrue. At the time, her argument seemed not only flawed but isolated.
That is until July, when I stumbled across this article in The Guardian, a pitch for the book Great Minds and How to Grow Them. Written by journalist Wendy Berliner and her colleague, educational consultant Deborah Eyre, the book argues an idea quite similar to Baoler’s: there is no such thing as a gifted child, and those who posit such a theory endanger the minds, potential, and self-concept of children everywhere.
To the uninitiated, Baoler, Berliner, and Eyre’s position holds merit. It’s essentially a further application of Carol Dweck’s growth mindset, the idea children can achieve academic success through determination, hard work, and a willingness to forge through a challenge.
But there is an underlying implication that doesn’t sit well with me. Baoler, Berliner, and Eyre have a frequent tendency to highlight the twice exceptionality and asynchronous development of intellectual greats like Albert Einstein and Maryam Mirzakhani as evidence giftedness is a lie. These struggles, they argue, are proof it is a learned trait courtesy of neuroplasticity. To these authors, everyone is gifted – we just have to be taught to find it.
Before I come off sounding haughty, I should probably make something clear.
I have taught children of all intellectual levels, backgrounds, and ideologies for the past 18 years. I’ve had children in my classroom who were intellectually disabled; I’ve had children in my classroom who went on to Harvard and Yale. Having worked with all these children, I have no doubt every one is a treasure. Every child has a purpose, a unique and unrepeatable calling to shape and change her world.
However.
Brains are wired differently, in a beautiful and complex way. To say there is no initial difference in the makeup of neural pathways is not only ridiculous, it has proven to be untrue. Brain mapping has helped an international team of scientists see “a clear link between the ‘hubbiness’ of higher-order brain regions — in other words, how densely connected they were to the rest of the network — and an individual’s IQ.” One of the researchers, University of Cambridge and NIH Ph.D. candidate Jakob Seidlitz, further explains: “This makes sense if you think of the hubs as enabling the flow of information around the brain — the stronger the connections, the better the brain is at processing information.”
I don’t deny neuroplasticity exists: the human brain can grow and develop in ways we don’t yet fully comprehend. But to argue the clear presence of such variations in brain structure irrelevant from the outset is irresponsible and dangerous. Children whose brains are wired in this way – wired differently – are left in a terrifying, precipitous lurch.
Let’s take a survey of some gifted artists.
Van Gogh. Committed suicide at 37, following a life of psychotic episodes.
Hemingway? Shot himself at the age of 61.
Sylvia Plath attempted suicide multiple times. She succeeded when she was only 30.
Not scientists, not mathematicians, but brilliant and tortured and ultimately self-destructive, and yes, I believe their giftedness was partially to blame.
I’ve seen it in adults on both sides of my family, and I see it in my children every day. High anxiety. Depression. Perfectionism. Impostor syndrome. Conditions which appear comorbid with giftedness. Up until recently the proof has been anecdotal at best.
In the January/February 2018 issue of Intelligence, Pitzer College researcher Ruth Karpinski and her colleagues published the correlational results of a survey which suggests my theory may be right.
While it does not definitively prove the link between giftedness and mood disorders, the survey results are a much-needed step forward in the study of gifted brains.
To study the relationship between high intelligence and mood disorders, Karpinski’s team sent a survey with questions about psychological and physiological disorders to the members of Mensa, a society for the gifted.
“The survey covered mood disorders (depression, dysthymia, and bipolar), anxiety disorders (generalized, social, and obsessive-compulsive), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism. It also covered environmental allergies, asthma, and autoimmune disorders. Respondents were asked to report whether they had ever been formally diagnosed with each disorder, or suspected they suffered from it. With a return rate of nearly 75%, Karpinski and colleagues compared the percentage of the 3,715 respondents who reported each disorder to the national average.”
While there was a statistically significant difference between the national average and the average of respondents for every mood disorder on the survey, two results, in particular, stand out:
- 26.7% of those surveyed reported they had been formally diagnosed with a mood disorder. The national average for formal diagnosis is 10%
- 20% of those surveyed reported they had been formally diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Again, the national average for formal diagnosis is 10%
Sensitivities, OE’s and the hyper brain/body focus
Karpinski’s findings give credence to the hyper brain/hyper body theory, first established by Kazimierz Dabrowski in the 1960s. The theory connects high intelligence to psychological and physiological sensitivities (Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities) that manifest as an intense reaction to environmental or emotional stimuli.
“Psychological OEs include a heightened tendency to ruminate and worry, whereas physiological OEs arise from the body’s response to stress. According to the hyper brain/hyper body theory, these two types of OEs are more common in highly intelligent people and interact with each other in a “vicious cycle” to cause both psychological and physiological dysfunction. For example, a highly intelligent person may overanalyze a disapproving comment made by a boss, imagining negative outcomes that simply wouldn’t occur to someone less intelligent. That may trigger the body’s stress response, which may make the person even more anxious.”
The morning I found my daughter crying in her bedroom, she eventually did tell me what was wrong. The day before, she had mentioned to an acquaintance that bees were her favorite insect.
Affronted, the child questioned her: “Bees are awful! How can you like them?!? They sting!!”
My daughter stumbled for a moment – she was flustered.
“I like ants, too, I guess…”
But that night she skipped dinner and fell asleep feeling glum and grouchy. She didn’t tell any of us about what happened until the next morning when she woke up crying in bed. Later that day I was folding laundry when her sister pulled me aside.
“Mom, I’ve been thinking. I’m making a list of what I should have told those playground bullies.”
Playground bullies? It’s been super cold – we hadn’t been to the playground in weeks.
“You know the ones that hijacked Tutu? When I was little?”
Five years ago, she had a stuffed dog momentarily kidnapped. The bullies tossed it around the playground structure and taunted her while her sister tried (and succeeded) in getting it back. In the moment, she cried in my arms and was too mortified to speak. But half a decade later she’s still giving thought to it.
Not because she’s sensitive.
Not because she’s intense.
She’s been ruminating about that incident all these years because of the hyper brain/body connection.
We’re letting our children down if we deny giftedness doesn’t exist.
So what happens when we believe there is no such thing as giftedness?
Cut funding
Currently, 14 states lack mandated gifted programs. Of those 14, only 5 have partial funding for the programs they do have. 9 states have mandated programs, but absolutely no funding. That’s roughly half the nation without necessary gifted resources, a number with the potential to grow.
Cut services
With a decrease in funding comes a decrease in services, and not just special programs for the academically advanced. I’m referring to services which serve the twice-exceptional population, gifted students with comorbid diagnoses which prevent curricular access.
Underachievement
Gifted children aren’t naturally motivated. Anecdotally, I’ve seen it in my own children and in the gifted children I had the privilege to teach. They tend to hyper-focus on a few areas of specialization, and when they are left to their own devices, they don’t fit the standard definition of achievement. This study puts credence to my observation: of 153 gifted high school students surveyed, 32% were identified as underachievers, graduating with a grade point average below 3.0.
Social and Emotional Struggles
Gifted kids are different. They think, relate, and communicate differently, and for the most part, they are glaringly aware of that fact. If their difference is ignored in the classroom, there is a potential for social and emotional distress. Heightened rates of anxiety and depression accompany feelings of isolation; increased boredom leads to behavior problems and academic malaise.
Difficulty with Self Care and Executive Functioning
I knew my oldest daughter was gifted when she refused food, naps, and bathroom breaks at two. Not because she was being obstinant, but because she was intensely focused on building detailed replicas of environmental biomes out of playdoh – after watching one episode of Dinosaur Train.
Gifted children are born with efficient wiring. That doesn’t mean they’re born with self-ordering skills. Asynchronous development lends itself to absent-minded professor tendencies. They must be taught hygiene and executive functioning.
Those of us who advocate for the gifted aren’t doing so because we believe they are superior.
It’s quite the opposite, really: the potential for academic or intellectual greatness is simply that – potential. Giftedness doesn’t come with drive or stick-to-itiveness. It comes with efficiency.
Far too often, that efficiency comes with pain.
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Enjoy this post? Read on:
Why Gifted Kids are Anxious, Plus 4 Ways to Help Them Cope
5 Reasons Why Gifted Kids Aren’t Motivated
I’m Not Bragging When I Say My Child is Gifted
“THOSE OF US WHO ADVOCATE FOR THE GIFTED AREN’T DOING SO BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THEY ARE SUPERIOR.” Spot on. Oh, so much I want to say about you-know-who, but I just….won’t. not here, not now. Thanks for continuing to be so open with us readers, Ginny! Good to know I’m not alone.
Absolutely, Jeanie! Thank you for reading!
I am astounded by your ability to see evidence with such clarity. My word, I was married to a gifted man and had gifted children whom I never really understood until reading your article. Thank you for opening my eyes. Wish I could have read this article 35 years ago.
You did a pretty bang up job in my mind <3
*slow clap*
Yes.
Perfect.
Incidentally, I’d be interested to know what the percentage of gifted with AI disease was from that Mensa survey.
*thunderous applause*
Thank you for an excellent and timely article. Perhaps you can tell parents and educators about several non-profit organizations that can provide support and guidance. Most them have free, downloadable articles on their websites. For example, SENG.org, DITD.org, NAGC.org, and hoagiesgifted.org. Readers might also like to look at books such as A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children, and Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults.
Thank you for the suggestion, Dr. Webb. I do have links in the text to NAGC and have promoted SENG and Hoagies (as well as GHF, for whom I am a blogger) on multiple occasions.
Thanks!
Great points. We need more articles like this to remind people that naysayers like Boaler completely misunderstand the neurodiverse nature of giftedness. It is not related to achievement, motivation, “mindsets” or parenting. It’s about wiring. Thanks.
Too true my friend.
And isn’t it interesting how the same people who claim there are no performative or potential differences in people are the same ones who vehemently attack people who don’t realize the unique individuality of everyone?
I call this the participation trophy effect. Nowadays we have kids who have never been wrong, never lost at anything, have never been anything but correct and perfect. In other words, we have a full generation of spoiled brats.
In most situations there are only 2 winners. 1st and 2nd place. 1st is the “winner”, and 2nd is the “winner of the losers”.
Thank you, Ginny!
I just read your post today. Yours is a message that can’t be repeated often enough.
Gifted individuals aren’t better…they are simply different. They desperately need proper recognition and support. Their intensities are real. Their intensities are what make them who they are. Their sweeping highs of achievement and insight. Their sensitivities that are often two-edged swords. The higher the level of giftedness, the greater the net needed to help them navigate the world. Much appreciation.
You’re so welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
My son is 43 years old. When he was in grade school I was advised by the school my son not only had the highest IQ (168) in the school but in the school district. I was told I could expect to have more problems with my don than a parent wih a child with special needs. I we t home and called the PA. Dept of Education for some guidance. I was placed on hold a then the women came back on the line only to tell me they could offer no suggestions.
He was in a class “gifted “ class that met several times a week.
Today my son sufferer from social anxiety and depression. He has been on ss/ disability for ten years.
I am glad this subject is getting more attention.
Valerie, my heart goes out to you and your son. I wish they had understood more about giftedness then. It’s still not perfect, but I am about your son’s age and I remember my own experiences. It is much better than it was thirty years ago.
I will pray for both of you.
There are many books on positive psychology and coping with depression on Amazon. As a gifted person with social anxiety and depression reading them helps me. You can either give the books to him or coach him after reading them yourself.
Essentially, mood problems as a gifted person come from overthinking and overfeeling, which are not choices but part of how our brain is wired.
If we think and feel bad, then the brain becomes practiced at that, just like we can practice memorizing a song on guitar. The more you think and feel negatively the more habitual it gets, until it becomes depression or anxiety.
If you can retrain yourself to stop the negative thought and reframe it positively, it REALLY helps. It helps me, as the most depressed person I have known in my life.
For example, “I have no value to the world” is a negative thought. “What can I do today that can positively impact the world?” is a positive thought. The concept is the same – “What good am I?” but the first makes you feel awful and is not action-based, while the second makes you feel hopeful and IS action-based.
Thank you for this article. Do you have any articles or advice for parents who are gifted themselves, and struggle with their own shortcomings in life, who also struggle with gifted children?
I do have one on imposter syndrome. This is definitely a topic I should explore more. Thank you for the suggestion!
Yeah but articles like these ignore the social stratification surrounding the “gifted” label. Research will affirm that students of low-socioeconomic status are less likely to be enrolled in gifted programs—and because of this, I cannot and refuse to accept the label has true validity. I teach at a GT school, and the greatest contradiction I find is the nature vs nurture argument. Most of my students hail from parents that received Masters degrees; naturally, these 1st graders are endowed with a bigger vocabulary and stronger skills in math/literacy because they have parents that are not only supportive, but equally as smart. And this is when we see there must be a flaw in this branch of education. By and large, having educated parents will indeed produce an educated child —then where is the giftedness? Can we at least assert that there is such thing as gifted privilege as opposed to gifted intellect? Why do all these 1st graders talk about their vacations in the Hamptons, and the tutoring centers they go to on Saturdays? Oh if you’re in tutoring, surely your academic rigor is innate, right?
Perhaps commentators on this page all live in seemingly suburban areas devoid of class or racial diversity; perhaps they are blind sided to the fact that mainly Asians and whites get into GT programs. And why does the former demographic always have such a strong representation in GT? Asians, specifically Chinese,Indian, Korean , Pakistani, and Tibetan ,have a philosophy of education that differs significantly from the individualism of the West. In Asian countries, is there such thing as gifted education? No— they are fixed on meritocracy and studying to the point of suicide. Studying is the mode of social mobility and it’s evident in the students that I teach as there parents supply them with more homework than I do-is this giftedness or neuro plasticity ? Lol…it’s a rhetorical question, but regardless it reinforces my point: Gifted education is contrived, and it’s contrition has been disturbingly overlooked as we’re a society that praises superior intelligence over anything else. To make gifted education equitable, we must consider the factors that erode its fairness:
1. The socioeconomic status of the child’s parents who are well-endowed with access to tutors and test preparation for GT entrave exams
2. Never mind wealth, even some working class parents invest thousands in test preparation. And testing their 3 year old? Oh, does that seem like a fair measure of giftedness to you? If training for a test determines a child’s intellect, how can we suppose the child possessed intellect before being trained?
3. The accessibility of GT schools in urban areas, specifically the lottery systems which cherry pick students from certain zip codes
Thanks for your comment.
I taught GT as well, and agree with you: the kids who are in traditional GT programs are not “gifted,” at least in the way society views it. Some of them have been coached and tutored; many of them are high achievers pushed to the brink of (as you said) suicide. The gifted kids are the ones who fail out, or drop out, or end up aimless and wasting away at 50 with an IQ of 200 and an unstable employment history.
Yes – I know people like that. I know a lot of people like that. And when we deny what true giftedness is and how it presents across the board in all communities regardless of socioeconomic status or race, we place those children at risk.
You might be interested in this post, which covers in more detail my perspective on traditional gifted education. I think you’ll find we have much more in common than you seem to believe.
Kia ora,
I’m a 41 year old gifted Māori mother from New Zealand. I’ve just described a bunch of labels that matter. Unfortunately our education system isn’t built to support differently wired learners or differently wired learners who are indigenous. My psycho-physio condition is definitely linked – I have stage 4 endometriosis and so do both my daughter’s. In my opinion, gifted is a label to describe a condition of the brain – I am too aware of almost EVERYTHING. It’s exhausting. I was not diagnosed until recently (finally could explain and validate my ‘weirdness’) and my toddler is definitely gifted and already I’m having to advocate for him – which again is exhausting in our egalitarian society. I’ve decided to train as a teacher focusing on gifted children in poverty and the indigenous. I wish their had been someone like that for me as a child – I first tried to commit suicide at 16 and the last time 16 years ago. It’s horrible not knowing what the hell is ‘wrong’ with you, but denying that this brain condition doesn’t exist at all? You’ve just killed someone somewhere, and you don’t even know it.
You are the best person to advocate for these kids. I’m sorry for everything you suffered. Know that I am cheering from you from the other side of the world.
Thank you for your article. Can you please share other studies that back your claim, “To say there is no initial difference in the makeup of neural pathways is not only ridiculous, it has proven to be untrue.”
The study that you cited did not make the claim that there is an INITIAL different in the way some peoples’ brains are wired:
“What this doesn’t tell us, though, is where exactly this variation comes from,” adds Seidlitz. “What makes some brains more connected than others — is it down to their genetics or their educational upbringing, for example? And how do these connections strengthen or weaken across development?”
There are so many complex factors affecting a child’s development. It seems like any child has the potential to develop a “gifted” brain if they are nurtured and taught early enough.
Hi, Sarah.
I don’t have additional studies off the top of my head. I wrote this post several years ago so I would need to check my notes to see what other articles and publications I consulted. It’s probably an appropriate time to go back and revisit the research/update the post anyway, given the length of time since its original publication.
Thanks for stopping by and pointing out the discrepancy. I’ll
Thank you. For all of your articles, truly. Reading what you write always makes me feel a little less alone, and a little less crazy! The story about the kidnapped dog really, really hit home. My son was bullied and beat up last year on the playground and he will still bring it up from time to time. The principal called to tell me that it is completely unhealthy and not normal for him to still be talking about this. Wow, what it does to a mother’s heart to hear those words. I have brought the administration books about gifted kids and OE’s, sat in meetings describing Dabrowski’s overexcitabilities and tried relentlessly to get them to understand not only my child, but others as well (this school has a gifted population of 20%) and it’s a continuous battle.
I am so sorry you are having a hard time with the school. The social perception is so damaging.
I’m gifted and at 35 I am still thinking about stuff that happened in 6th grade. Don’t worry about it. We think and feel more deeply and everything in our life is connected. For better or worse.
Help him accept his feelings by talking through them. Psychologists say naming a feeling with very specific words helps dissipate the emotional energy in the psyche. Also think of positive ways to cope with it. For example if he was beat up, you can encourage him to do karate or lift some kid weights to become stronger so he will feel tougher.
So everybody is gifted?
Anybody can appear to be gifted with the right training?
Then I guess a Kodak disposable camera can take the same quality of pictures as a Hasselblad, provided the user learns how.
NASA would have loved it if that was true. It would have saved them millions of dollars and we’d have the same quality of pictures of the lunar surface for about 1/70 the price.
I think anybody can accomplish stuff by working hard.
But giftedness is about psychological traits as well as intelligence. I know lots of people at work who are as capable or even as smart as me. But I don’t know anybody at work as intense as me, nor does anybody else just constantly come up with new ideas every 10 minutes, or demand ridiculous levels of perfection from everybody they know including themselves. You can have an 100 IQ and do great things but you can’t fake overexcitability because it’s in how a person experiences the world. The world – inner and outer – is just overwhelming for a gifted person a lot of the time
Thank you for your article. My son is gifted. And yes, I could relate to many of what you mentioned. My husband and I are both college educated, but there is a definitely a difference in my son than even his siblings learning abilities(all received the same pre-kindergarten prep). Our public school district though overall a good local elementary, didn’t have a gifted program. It was solely up to the teachers to implement. Though a very kind, staff; the time and funding wasn’t there. This year with the lockdowns I started homeschooling. We had him tested to see what grade level he is actually in his math. He is excelling. This year has also come with its challenges. There is certain tasks he finds very stressful, such as taking time tests. He knows the material very well but the pressure and fear of failure has been extremely difficult for him.
if you have not read it already, there is a good book on Amazon called Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children and Adults. It talks about exactly what you are talking about – how many mood issues are caused or comorbid with Giftedness.
For example, it’s hard not to be avoidant of rejection when everything matters and hurts twice as much as it seems to for normal people.
I would also like to say there need to be more resources for Gifted Adults. I’m 35 and I need a little help. Gifted Students have parents, teachers, and counselors to guide them. But once you’re an adult, you’re on your own and the stakes are much higher than just failing your Math class. There are also things like relationships and finding your ideal career that kids really don’t have to seriously worry about, but are VERY impacted by Giftedness. There are 3 books on Gifted Adults on Amazon and one of them is new age garbage. And if you’re lucky there may be a psychologist who specializes in gifted people within 200 miles in your state. Try googling Gifted Adults and see how much information you pull up that isn’t about school kids.
If Giftedness is in your brain wiring (and they say it is) then it doesn’t stop once you get your high school diploma. In fact, I really didn’t have that much trouble with it until I was about 25 and really started struggling to fit in anywhere.
Hi, Michael. Thanks for commenting.
There are a number of books for gifted adults, including Living with Intensity, Living Gifted, Your Rainforest Mind, and Gifted Grownups. You can also find a number of resources online at Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted.
You are right that there is a dearth of content out there for those of us who are differently-wired adults. I have found, though, that books geared toward those who struggle with anxiety and depression (Seth Gilliam is one author, for instance) tend to be highly relevant for me as a gifted/2E adult. I wish you all the best in your journey.
T his issue always really sticks it to me- the gifted are the only minority that gets told we don’t exist, and it’s only becoming more common. It’s just another way to get people “in line” by erasing identities.
Thanks for a well-written, study-packed article! It’s important to combat this sort of ignorance with fact.
I always say that, too. Even if people pass the don’t say gay bills, people at least know there’s people who are sexually involved with the same sex.
Ironically, the same people who champion the rights of racial, religious and sexual minorities will turn around and say giftedness is just a function of privilege. While often true, saying giftedness doesn’t exist throws the baby out with the bath water.
My son is 7 and recently just missed the cut off for the gifted and talented program. He was put in a talent pool.
I had the time to start working with him at age 3 to read and do math. He excels at both. But, we practice often. I want him to be able to be challenged academically if possible.
Here is the deal. My son needs a tougher curriculum than what is being offered in his classroom. Schools definitely need to be equipped to make accommodations for these type of students as well.
My background with giftedness is just weird. I was labeled learning disabled through grade school due to chronic boredom and underachievement, as well as social overwhelm. Tested out of special ed later when school got a tad more challenging and could hold my interest. Was “high achieving” after that.
I think for a while that seemed like it supports the “everybody can be gifted theory,” but crashing into adulthood proved I’m just not like other people.
I was also diagnosed autistic within the last year, so I agree that these “struggling to gifted” success stories are usually unsupported 2e issues that people learn to overcome by maturing and trial/error.