When Extremely Gifted Students Are Twice-Exceptional: Issues and Insights Related to Diagnosis and Intervention

• In Event: Twice Exceptionality: Insight Into Paradoxical Learners Through Neurological and Neuropsychological Investigation

Abstract

Purpose: It is still all-too-common for students who exhibit exceptionally high abilities, as well as disabilities that impede learning, to be misunderstood and poorly served (Webb, et al., 2005). Often the gifts are not acknowledged; when they are, poor academic performance is often attributed to being lazy or disorganized, or to being less gifted than they claim, rather than to a disability. Appropriate diagnoses can be crucial for getting services to meet their needs (Brody & Mills, 2004). For more than 30 years, CTY at Johns Hopkins has sponsored Talent Searches to identify students with advanced cognitive abilities (Brody, 2009). While the vast majority of the high-scoring students are high achievers, we are increasingly aware of extremely gifted students who have learning disabilities or disorders. Within this group, there is variability as to whether they have been diagnosed or given accommodations in their educational programs. This study will explore the incidence and nature of learning disabilities in students who scored exceptionally high on Talent Search tests. We will focus on the interaction between the gifts and disabilities to determine the extent to which they compensate for each other and the impact this has on gaining a diagnosis and accommodations.

Methodology and Data Source: Based on surveys and parent interviews, we report on the incidence of diagnosed and undiagnosed learning disorders among students who scored exceptionally high in a CTY Talent Search during the past five years. We focus on factors that led to assessment, the results of those assessments, and the nature and effectiveness of accommodations. The study will be descriptive and qualitative, and will include case studies.

Results: Of more than 1,000 students who scored exceptionally high in Talent Search in the past five years, 37 reported having been diagnosed with a disability, especially ADHD, Asperger’s or Written Language disorder. Others reported issues with writing, social relationships, or organization. Some requested accommodations in CTY summer programs. When diagnosis was obtained and accommodations implemented, success appears to have been enhanced.

Scholarly significance of the work: Little empirical work has been done to help us meet the needs of twice-exceptional students. Highly gifted students are at risk for not being identified because their gifts mask their disabilities. The CTY database offers a large sample from which we can study those who have learning disabilities and better understand the nature and needs of this population.

References:
Brody, L. E. (2009). The Johns Hopkins talent search model for identifying and developing exceptional mathematical and verbal abilities. In L.V. Shavinina (Ed.), International handbook on giftedness (pp. 999-1016). New York: Springer.

Brody, L. E., & Mills, C. J. (2004). Linking assessment and diagnosis to intervention for gifted students with learning disabilities. In T. Newman and R. J. Sternberg (Eds.), Students with both gifts and learning disabilities (pp. 73-93). New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Webb, J. T., Amend, E. R., Webb, N. E., Goerss, J., Beljan, P., & Olenchak, F. R. (2005). Misdiagnosis and dual diagnoses of gifted children and adults. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.

Author

• Linda Brody, Johns Hopkins University