Gifted with Disabilities: Dual Special Needs
Twice-exceptionality (2e) refers to a unique condition in which individuals demonstrate both exceptional intellectual abilities, giftedness, alongside one or more learning disabilities or neurodevelopmental disorders. These individuals possess extraordinary cognitive potential, yet their academic performance may be hindered by challenges such as dyslexia, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or sensory processing issues.
A typical presentation of a twice-exceptional child is complex and multifaceted. One common scenario is a child who exhibits a love for learning but struggles with certain tasks, such as writing. When observing such a child writing, you may notice various indicators of sensory processing issues, such as a limp posture, unusual pencil grip, irregular letter formation, slow writing speed, cramped or uneven spacing between letters, or starting writing from the middle of the page.
Giftedness and disabilities often coexist in individuals, creating a complex interplay between strengths and challenges. Giftedness can mask disabilities, while disabilities, in turn, can depress IQ scores. This dynamic interaction poses significant challenges in accurately identifying and supporting individuals with diverse learning profiles.
By the middle grades, the combination of visual, auditory, and sensory processing deficits can obscure a gifted child’s test profile, making it challenging to identify and address their specific needs.
Assessment of Twice-Exceptionality
Giftedness masks disabilities. Disabilities mask giftedness.
Giftedness can often mask disabilities, as high abilities in one area may overshadow struggles in another, leading to missed diagnoses. One of the paradoxes of giftedness is its ability to camouflage underlying disabilities. The heightened capacity for abstract reasoning and problem-solving skills characteristic of gifted individuals allows them to compensate for weaknesses, effectively concealing their challenges from others. And disabilities can mask giftedness, where challenges dominate perceptions, and extraordinary talents remain unrecognized. Both situations complicate accurate assessment and support for individuals.
A twice-exceptional child may display erratic IQ scores over time, with significant discrepancies among composite scores. Some may initially show low IQ scores, only to demonstrate increasing intelligence as they mature, while others may have high IQ scores early on that decline over time. This fluctuation in IQ scores can confound traditional assessment methods and mask the child’s true potential.
It is crucial for examiners to evaluate strengths and weaknesses separately rather than averaging discrepant scores. The highest composite score typically indicates giftedness, while even average scores in certain areas may signal the presence of a learning disability.
Twice-exceptional children often struggle on standardized tests, particularly those that are timed, require handwriting, or are administered later in the day when fatigue sets in. They may be easily distracted by sensory stimuli, such as noise or flickering lights, and their motivation may vary depending on their rapport with the examiner. Additionally, they may paradoxically excel on challenging items while struggling with simpler tasks.
The Price of Compensating
Compensation comes at a cost—it is exhausting. The constant effort to overcome deficits and adapt to academic and social demands can drain the individual’s energy and resources.
Children who come home exhausted may not simply be tired from a long day at school but could be expending an inordinate amount of energy compensating for their disabilities. The cognitive and emotional toll of compensation can manifest in various ways, including fatigue, frustration, and decreased motivation.
Moreover, the pressure to compensate can exacerbate stress and anxiety, further impacting the individual’s well-being. The relentless effort to maintain appearances of competence can take a toll on mental health and hinder academic and personal growth.
Gifted but Struggling
The ability to compensate may mask the extent of a disability, leading to under identification and inadequate support.
Academic Struggles
Twice-exceptional students, who are both gifted and have disabilities, often don’t get the help they need. Schools may miss their special needs because they don’t fit neatly into either gifted or special education programs. This means their talents and struggles might not be recognized or supported for a long time, leading to increasing frustration.
Like other gifted students, they have high aspirations for success in their endeavors. However, hidden disabilities can make it difficult for twice-exceptional learners to achieve their goals due to disabilities.
Twice-exceptional learners grasp ideas fast and dislike repetitive tasks, preferring hands-on projects and real-life challenges. They’re full of energy and focus on the overall idea rather than small details. They are curious and ask questions to dig deeper into topics.
Twice-exceptional learners seem so capable when discussing issues they are passionate about. Unfortunately they are often unorganized and struggle with cognitive issues like executive functioning and processing speed that makes it harder to complete homework.
Twice-exceptional students face challenges when the education system doesn’t grasp their uneven academic performance. Some end up leaving high school, while others opt out of pursuing further education due to the frustrations of K-12 schooling. Twice-exceptional people often miss out on realizing their full potential.
Social-Emotional Struggles
The extremes of the abilities and disabilities can create social and emotional conflicts. Twice-exceptional individuals exhibit characteristics of confusion, anxiety, hypersensitivity, frustration, perfectionism, and self-criticism. Their sensitivity, intensity, and emotionality make them vulnerable.
Twice-exceptional kids struggle to connect with their peers who are their age, as well as with other gifted students or those with disabilities. Feeling lonely and isolated isn’t because of emotional issues, but rather because they don’t have peers who understand them.
The Need for a Holistic Approach
It is crucial to adopt a holistic view of assessment that considers both strengths and weaknesses, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of the individual’s unique abilities and challenges.
Many plans fail because they just focus on one aspect of the problem, usually an area of weakness. When planning for twice-exceptional learners, the approach must be strength-based and more comprehensive in scope, addressing the cognitive, academic, social, and emotional needs of the student.
Addressing the complexities of compensation requires a multifaceted approach. It involves recognizing the signs of fatigue and burnout in gifted individuals, providing opportunities for rest and self-care, and fostering an environment that values neurodiversity and accommodates diverse learning needs.
By acknowledging the duality of compensation and its impact on gifted individuals with disabilities, we can better support their journey towards realizing their full potential and fostering their well-being.
Notes on the Author
Ilse Gevaert is a psychologist and coach with expertise in neurodiversity (ASD and ADHD), giftedness, trauma, narcissistic abuse, and resilience. Ilse continued her education at prestigious institutions such as Harvard and Cornell, where she obtained leadership certificates that have informed her practice.
Read More
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Unraveling the Complexity of Giftedness: Beyond IQ-Scores and Academic Achievement
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