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This book brings together eminent and emerging scholars to present cutting-edge research on diverse conceptions of giftedness and talent from a range of international perspectives. It covers classical views, emphasizing IQ, but also seeks to move the academic debate on from the common exclusive emphasis on IQ-based skills. In each chapter the contributors address both theoretical advances and practical applications for administrators, teachers, and parents. The editors conclude by integrating the different points of view and showing ways in which major ideas, even when given different names, can be integrated to provide a holistic and integral viewpoint on giftedness and talent. This book will appeal to students and scholars of creativity, giftedness and gifted education; as well as to practitioners, teachers and education policymakers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: cover)

One of the ongoing challenges for gifted and talented education is that the measures used to select students for advanced educational opportunities rarely identify those most likely to make creative contributions later in life. The smartest students are rarely the most inventive. Conversely, extremely creative people are often overlooked as average or without obvious potential during their educational years. A need exists to understand what factors mediate the relationship of talent to creative potential so that better ways of fostering creative talent early can be devised. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: book)

We argue for a wide range of innate differences in ability in any domain, and that children with high levels of ability in a particular domain share three characteristics: they learn rapidly (precocity), they are intensely driven to learn (a rage to master), and they learn differently from typical children (they march to their own drummer). In the visual arts, high levels of ability have been most often noted in the ability to draw realistically. We show that this ability is independent of IQ and present some evidence that this ability is related to local processing skill. We also note one case study of a child who showed all three characteristics of giftedness but whose drawings were abstract rather than realistic. Thus it is possible that there are two routes that gifted child artists follow―one the early representational/realism route and the other the early abstraction route. We conclude the chapter by discussing our recommendations for how artistically gifted children should be taught and present the Reggio Emila approach in Italy as an excellent approach to the education of both typical and gifted children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: book)

For professional school counselors and clinical mental health counselors to serve students with disabilities and adequately advocate within the comprehensive school and community contexts, they must first understand the legislation that exists. Congress set these legislations in place to protect the rights of students with disabilities and assure them access, inclusion, and a free and appropriate public education. This chapter includes a delineation of federal mandates and the identification, assessment, placement, services, and postsecondary transitions pertaining to this youth population. It presents myriad ways that counselors may promote the personal, social, emotional, academic, career, and developmental growth of children and adolescents with disabilities and those designated as gifted. Gifted students, like all others, reflect uniqueness and do not demonstrate giftedness in the same areas. In fact, sometimes, their gifts present in ways that schools do not always value. Our schools and communities need counselors to serve the needs of advanced and gifted students. The prosperity of our nations depends on this. Gifted students can be an asset or a detriment to themselves or our society if not properly cared for. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

“Gifted and Bullied: Understanding the Institutional Victimization of Identified, Unidentified, and Underserved Gifted Students” introduces a more-in-depth look at the relationship between giftedness and bullying. In this chapter, Collins expands discussion of victimization beyond peer-to-peer bullying to include institutional programmings’ role in creating isolating environments that foster this phenomenon. A current, public event and two case studies highlighting twice exceptional American boys are provided, and important implications, accountability, and recommendations for G/T administrators and educators are offered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

“Covert Bullying in Education of Gifted Students at School” reminds the reader that gifted students have, does, and will always represent a small sub population of individuals within the school environment. The author offers facts and links between social dynamics and giftedness within the class setting that may not be explicit or readily detectable, and that can be as much as surprising for many readers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

In this chapter, the authors highlight that many gifted children and adolescents are targets of teasing and bullying more than peers with typical development. The initial findings from a case-study at LabTalento, The Italian Laboratory of Research and Development of Potential, Talent and Giftedness at the University of Pavia is presented. The authors affirm that typical risk factors for bullying victims are similar to many traits prevalent within the intellectually gifted population—gifted children are usually felt and perceived as different from their peers; often stand out as “quirky,” “strange,” or “weird,” and they may have unusual interests for their age that further isolate them. A call for further research and implications for practitioners are highlighted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

In this chapter, Gatto-Walden incorporates decades of qualitative research on therapeutic interventions with gifted children. She explains how distinctive traits of giftedness coupled with feelings of isolation distinguishes gifted children from their classroom peers, make it difficult to find and maintain friend ships, and become likely targets for antagonistic bullies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

“Gifted Bullies, Targets, and Bystanders: A Mental Health Perspective” introduces the characters and their roles in bullying within gifted programming. Peterson explains that due to the potential impact on the mental health of bullies, targets, and spectators, the bullying of and by gifted young people deserves attention. This chapter explores motivation and vulnerability; types and effects of bullying; prevention and intervention; and school responsibilities. Peterson points out attributes associated with giftedness that can con tribute to gifted students’ vulnerability to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and suicide. Legal options and example court cases are discussed as a last resort for addressing bullying. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

The physical, social, and emotional characteristics of any child or adult who is different from the majority of their peers is likely to result in misunderstanding or bullying. Bullying can occur in face-to-face situations, behind the backs of targeted individuals, or in more recent times, through what has been termed cyberbullying. Gifted students often stand out because of their academic superiority or their moderate to extreme sensitivity to issues, ideas, or situations. These young people often have deeper concerns about issues ranging from world problems such as world peace, climate devastation, and child labor to local situations such as unfairness on the part of a teacher or parent, unreasonable inflations of commonly purchased products, or even the act of bullying itself on the parts of classmates or others. Expressions of these sensitivities are often ridiculed by others in the form of name-calling, exclusion from social situations, lost friendships, or outright hostility on the parts of their peers. Very little empirical research has been conducted on the topic of gifted student bullying, but the personality characteristics of both the person being bullied and the perpetrator(s) of the bullying is a topic of much needed research. Gifted students often have highly focused interests, challenges, and concerns, and a values structure that may make them feel different from their peers; and any type of “difference” may result in bullying. The firsthand case studies and classroom experiences of the chapter authors provide invaluable insights about and guidance learned from the experiences of gifted young people who have been bullied or who have, on occasions, (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: foreword)

The interest in music and musical abilities of autistic children have been observed since the earliest descriptions of the condition. Music is a universal language known for millennia and music-based interventions including music therapy have found several applications in the fields of developmental psychology and mental health over the last decades. This group of complementary therapies aims to help the clients to optimize their health, using various facets of musical experience and the relationships formed through them. Several psychological theories and neurobiological models may explain the specific mechanisms through which music-based interventions work for autistic individuals. The present chapter aims to describe the sensorimotor, attentional, emotional, and social processes underpinning the potential effectiveness of music therapy in this population and to provide an overview of the most recent literature findings. At the end of the chapter, an account of the autistic giftedness and talent for music is presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: book)

Raising twice-exceptional kids is definitely next-level parenting, and there are no tutorials or easy levels to start. Just because a child is gifted doesn't mean they don't have other types of neurodivergenic, like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more. Conversely, even children with one of these diagnoses can be cognitively gifted. This book provides the reader with a road map to understand the complex make-up of their "gifted-plus", or twice-exceptional, child or teen. It helps the readers to understand their child's diagnosis, meet their social-emotional needs, build self-regulation skills and goal setting, and teach self-advocacy. It also shows them effective ways to collaborate with teachers and school staff, and it offers advice on finding strengths based strategies that support development at home. For too long, these kids have fallen through the cracks. The book provides key information on how to best support neurodivergent children by leveraging their strengths while supporting their struggles. It is sorted into four major sections. Part I of the book is all about understanding neurodiversity, giftedness, and twice-exceptionality. Part II of the book includes a parents' toolkit of strategies for the reader to consider as they support their twice-exceptional child. The topics in the parent toolkit section helps the readers to implement the strategies included in Part III. Finally, part IV wraps up with information about how to understand school options for their twice-exceptional child. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

This chapter illustrates the connection between cognitive abilities, careers, and giftedness through two approaches: prospective and retrospective. Using these approaches, it also illustrates that people identified as gifted when young end up in highly select and diverse careers and that people who end up at the pinnacle of career achievement largely are gifted. The chapter further notes that this does not mean that having high cognitive ability or being gifted is the sole criterion for ending up in a highly prestigious career, only that increasing cognitive ability typically does increase the likelihood of all kinds of positive outcomes. In practice, career counseling of the gifted—namely, helping match them in regard to ability level, ability pattern, interests, personality, lifestyle preferences, and other factors—is quite important for the full talent development and flourishing of these students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

A wide variety of phenomena influence manifestations of intelligence, creativity, and wisdom. This interdisciplinary exploration sheds light on some of these phenomena and on how they energize or suppress these important dimensions of human ability. A few examples from the exploration include the need for long-range vision; the usefulness of interdisciplinary exploration as a tool for strengthening the integration of intelligence, creativity, and wisdom; the effects of climate change; the influence of metaphorical world views on our thoughts and actions; and the harm done by corrupt, social media platforms. Various recommendations for strengthening and synthesizing intelligence, creativity, and wisdom also are addressed. These include, injecting greater ethical awareness into the currently corrupt corporate world; taking advantage of the benefits of cognitive diversity; strengthening the influence and networking of transformationally gifted experts in various fields; and making ethical academic publishing more accessible to larger audiences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: book)

The topic of this chapter is individually administered intelligence tests for children. Frequently used intelligence tests, abbreviated, and nonverbal intelligence tests are described within the historical context of intelligence test development. The use of intelligence tests for educational, healthcare, and other diagnostic and intervention decisions is discussed. Finally, the chapter concludes with similarities and differences between intelligence tests and other related tests. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: book)

This book is a unique and practical manual of how to improve interactions that involve adults who stand out from the neurotypical majority by having top 2% IQ. The main message is that understanding the individual differences involved in extreme intelligence and mastering relevant communication skills can break through barriers of frustration, underachievement, and loneliness, to bring about brain-changingly positive conversations and interpersonal effectiveness, connection, and joy. The book begins by explaining the neurophysiological and social foundations of why one communicates the way one does and explains in detail seven essential communication skills. Following this, the author shows how to put these skills into practice, applying insights from depth psychology and demonstrating how to have better conversations in a variety of contexts from general social gatherings to the workplace and intimate relationships. The author draws on case examples from her consulting work (psychotherapy and coaching) with clients who have extreme intelligence, and examples from novels, cinema, the media, the literature on giftedness, and biographical material on high-profile high-IQ figures like Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Lady Gaga. Throughout, the author emphasises the theme from her original model of interpersonal relating, which is that experiencing freedom of self-expression with others who offer the reader a high level of acceptance is what puts the reader in a state of thriving. The book provides step-by-step guidance for engaging in numerous interpersonal situations, such as how to handle difficult conversations, how to write effective emails, how to breathe, listen, play, take a risk, bond, repair a broken connection, and keep oneself well through changes like failure, success, and falling in love. It is essential reading for anyone affected by, or interested in, issues associated with extremely high intelligence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: book)

Giftedness and talent are central for understanding and fostering human potential and represent important and exciting research topics. In recent years, numerous new findings on these topics have appeared, some of them as systematic overviews in the form of literature reviews or meta-analyses. This book summarizes important new findings, results, and conceptions. It presents information on the identification and assessment of giftedness and talent and on special fostering options and programs in particular. The book concentrates on the core basics for entering the subject area and provides references to further literature, especially on topics that receive less attention in this book but are nevertheless of great relevance. It is useful for training educators and psychologists, for example, within a seminar. The book begins with the basic question of what giftedness is and how it relates to exceptional performance. It discusses the role that intelligence and creativity play in giftedness, and presents basic knowledge about both constructs. Furthermore, regarding the connection between giftedness and exceptional performance, the book offers a critical perspective on the respective contributions of the differential approach of giftedness research and of expertise research. It discusses three pioneering longitudinal studies with gifted students: the Terman Study and the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth from the USA and the Marburg Gifted Project from Germany. The book describes the relationship between intelligence and academic achievement, and distinguishes between implicit and explicit theories of giftedness, and the harmony and the disharmony hypothesis. It deals with how gifted students can be identified. Intelligence tests continue to play a central role here, and one will learn what to consider when selecting intelligence tests for giftedness diagnostics and about the problem of ceiling effects in many of the available test procedures. Finally, the book examines supporting gifted students in school and early childhood education. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

This chapter introduces 3 models, or lenses, which provide a framework for focusing on work that is client-directed and strengths-based: innerview guidance; transrational philosophy; and solution-focused approach. The authors explain how spiritually integrated coaching practices utilize these 3 lenses and demonstrate the processes that empower the client to become the expert on their own life. The case study explores the coaching journey of Alina, a data-entry clerk in her early 30s, who sought to discover her life's purpose and create a happier life. Despite her Romanian Orthodox upbringing, Alina had lost touch with her spiritual side and felt unfulfilled. The coach employed a unique approach, combining traditional coaching techniques with imaginative exercises and artwork. Through drawing and coloring, Alina was able to tap into her unconscious mind and gain insight into her desires and blocks. The coach used powerful questioning to help Alina explore her images and uncover hidden strengths and areas of giftedness. While Alina made significant progress, including identifying joyful activities and adjusting her work schedule, she ultimately did not find her life's purpose. The coach attributes this to Alina's unresolved childhood traumas and lack of faith dimension in her search for purpose. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

This chapter introduces pairing imaginative exercises and artwork with traditional coaching and focuses on working with the symbolic imagination. The author explains the Image Guidance process, which involves the client's own unique imagery. She demonstrates how this is utilized to effect change, thus aiding in the client's journey to finding happiness and life purpose. This case study explores the coaching journey of Alina, a data-entry clerk in her early 30s, who sought to discover her life's purpose and create a happier life. Despite her Romanian Orthodox upbringing, Alina had lost touch with her spiritual side and felt unfulfilled. The coach employed a unique approach, combining traditional coaching techniques with imaginative exercises and artwork. Through drawing and coloring, Alina was able to tap into her unconscious mind and gain insight into her desires and blocks. The coach used powerful questioning to help Alina explore her images and uncover hidden strengths and areas of giftedness. While Alina made significant progress, including identifying joyful activities and adjusting her work schedule, she ultimately did not find her life's purpose. The coach attributes this to Alina's unresolved childhood traumas and lack of faith dimension in her search for purpose. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

This chapter focuses on exceptionality, specifically giftedness, in African American, Latinx, and emergent bilingual students (EB) due to the breadth and depth of existing literature on these populations relative to other minoritized groups. It also utilizes Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a framework to understand why these groups have historically been and continue to be excluded from gifted education. Systemic factors such as enrollment in low-resourced and overcrowded schools, tracking, school discipline, and criminalization of minoritized youth create educational inequities. Additionally, racism, narrow views of giftedness, linguistic discrimination, and the instruments and processes used to identify exceptionalities disproportionately impact African American, Latinx, and EB students. These factors often preclude minoritized students from being referred, identified, and placed in gifted programs. The chapter begins with a discussion of how giftedness has been defined. It reviews disparities in gifted education, analyzes said disparities using CRT, examines the unique experiences of gifted African American, Latinx, and EB students, and concludes with a discussion of approaches and recommendations to advance minoritized students' access and success. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: create)