Heather D. Hurd, Ph.D.

School Psychologist, Licensed Psychologist Hurd Psychology, Madison WI January 23rd, 2014

Interest in children that are considered TAG My background includes clinical and research experience

Twice exceptional Gifted with minor social and emotional problems Children with serious mental health issues (bipolar disorder and schizophrenia) and were not identified as gifted, although are gifted Children of diverse backgrounds and were not identified as gifted, although are gifted Children with ADHD and are gifted Children at risk for self harm or suicidality (anxiety, depression)

Definitions (US Dept of Ed, 2001; Columbus Group)

Common Myths of Gifted and Common Truths (Berger, 2006)

The term gifted and talented, when used with respect to students, children, or youth means students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific acacemic fields, and who need services not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capacities

Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modification in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally

- Gifted students do not need help. If they are really gifted they can manage on their own. - Gifted students have fewer problems than others because their intelligence and abilities somehow exempt them from the hassles of daily life - The social and emotional development of the gifted student is at the same level as his or her intellectual development

-Gifted students are often perfectionistic and idealistic -Gifted students may experience heightened sensitivity to their own expectations and those of others, results in guilt over achievement or grades perceived to be low -Gifted students exhibit asynchronous development their chronological age, social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development may all be at different levels

Much research about this group being vulnerable to social emotional problems Children do not develop uniformly across all areas
For example, children may be very advanced in mathematics, but not advanced in social development

Defined as an uneven rate of development in the cognitive, affective, and physical domains

Giftedness can be both an asset and a burden (Sunde, 1996)

Some studies have focused on positive relationship between giftedness and other positive attributes Some studies have found no differences between gifted and typical More recent research has linked giftedness to: anxiety, perfectionism, heightened sensitivity, loneliness, social isolation, self harm, depression (Sunde, 2006)

Helping develop social emotional areas, and foster meaningful connective relationships can be protective factors in preventing some difficulties Early intervention when signs of difficulties are exhibited can prevent problems at later ages Developing these skills is good for everyone, and can contribute to overall happiness

Provide opportunities to interact with peers noncompetitively Normalize developmental challenges and address them Work directly on developing communication skills (interpersonal skills)

All children gain from programs/activities that develop social emotional skills! Research demonstrates that children should receive social/emotional/moral educational programming

Awareness, Understanding, and Acceptance of Self Awareness, Understanding, and Acceptance of Others Interpersonal Skills (Communication, Interviewing Skills, Discussion, Conflict Resolution) Group Process and Interaction Skills Creativity Relaxation and Visual Imagery Challenges of Being Gifted

Reflective and Active Listening Skills are Developed Activities that enhance communication skills:
Role Playing Conversation analysis

Successfully interviewing others about their lives and interests helps to develop understanding of others viewpoints (perspective-taking) Activities that enhance interviewing skills:
Role Playing Activities that focus on asking others questions to gain information and perspective

Support and encouragement of accelerative learning experiences Time to learn with others of similar abilities, interests, and motivation Engagement in areas of interest with a variety of peers Mentoring and pragmatic coaching to cope with stress, criticism, and social milieu Class time devoted to social emotional development, and encourage social emotional support of peers

Conflict resolution Decision making leadership

Reading books or watching film about gifted experiences (possibly true stories of others experiences) Follow up with discussion

Depression (withdrawal, irritability, down mood, problems sleeping) Anxiety (severe perfectionism, nervous, trouble sleeping, stomach aches/head aches, avoidance of tasks that are more nerve wracking) Severe difficulty with social skills Severe Behavior Problems

Social Story Relaxation, guided imagery

Peterson, J. S. (Oct. 2006). Addressing Counseling Needs of Gifted Students. Professional

School Counseling 10:1; pp 43-51.

Betts, G. T. (1986). Development of the Emotional and Social Needs of Gifted Individuals. Journal of Counseling and Development Vol 64, pp 587-589.
www.sengifted.org Morelock, M (1992), Giftedness: The view from within. Understanding Our Gifted, 4(3), 1, 1115. Bailey, C. L. (2007, October). Social and emotional needs of gifted students: What school counselors need to know to most effectively serve this diverse population. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Columbus, OH. Reis, S. & Renzulli, J (2004). Current research on the social and emotional development of gifted and talented students. Good news and future possibilities. Psychology in the Schools, 41(1), 119-125. Berger, S. (2006). College planning for gifted students: Choosing and getting into the right college (3rd ed). Waco, TX: Prufrock, Press.