Focussing on overexcitabilities: Studies with intellectually gifted and academically talented adults

Emotional Development of Gifted Students: Comparative Study About Overexcitabilities

Abstract The aim of this study was to compare gifted, with academic and artistic talent, and non-gifted students regarding overexcitability, as well as to investigate the perceptions of teachers from a specialized educational program for the gifted about their students’ emotional development. The study included 150 students and six teachers. As instruments, we used participants characterization questionnaires, an overexcitability scale and a semi-structured interview script. Data were analyzed using inferential statistics and content analysis. The results indicated significant differences between gifted and non-gifted students in the patterns of intellectual and imaginative over-excitability, as well as a tendency for teachers to emotionally characterize gifted students with an emphasis on psychological disorders and weaknesses. To invest in educational strategies that use information derived from overexcitability patterns as facilitating tools for the learning process of the gifted can contribute to increasing student engagement at school, keeping them motivated.

Crisis of Meaning and Subjective Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Resilience and Self-Control among Gifted Adults

Meaning in life is positively associated with mental and physical health, while a crisis of meaning is a painful existential state that is defined as a perceived lack of meaning. An earlier study has shown that academically high-achieving adults mostly experience existential fulfilment, while intellectually gifted adults have a disproportionally high risk of suffering from a crisis of meaning, which can weaken their potential fulfilment in life. To uncover the underlying mechanisms of how an existential crisis affects gifted adults’ mental health, this study examines the longitudinal relationship between crisis of meaning and subjective well-being via two mediators: self-control and resilience. A multiple mediation model was tested with longitudinal data (two times of measurement) of two gifted groups: intellectually gifted adults (HIQ; N = 100; 55% female) and academically high-achieving adults (HAA; N = 52; 29% female). Results suggest group differences: HIQ had higher crisis of meaning and lower self-control than the HAA. HIQ’s resilience (but not their self-control) and HAA’s self-control (but not their resilience) mediated the relationship between crisis of meaning and subjective well-being. These findings give initial insights about the distinct psychological needs of gifted adults and their different paths toward subjective well-being. These insights can be applied in future giftedness research, talent development programs, or counseling to support gifted individuals in living up to their potential. Thus, HIQ could benefit particularly from supporting their ability to cope with adversity, while HAA could benefit particularly from strengthening their willpower to modify undesired emotions, behaviors, and desires.

Invariância Fatorial e Normatização das Escalas de Sobre-Excitabilidade

Resumo Este estudo teve como objetivos estabelecer normas preliminares e verificar a estrutura e invariância fatorial das Escalas de Sobre-Excitabilidade (ESE) de acordo com o sexo. Trata-se de uma medida destinada à avaliação de sobre-excitabilidade - tendência para reagir intensa e sensivelmente a estímulos nas áreas sensorial, psicomotora, imaginativa, emocional e intelectual. Participaram 1500 estudantes do ensino fundamental de cinco estados brasileiros. Análises fatoriais confirmatórias demonstraram bons índices de ajustes para os modelos testados, revelando a existência de 11 escalas. Apesar de haver diferenças quanto ao sexo nos escores médios de algumas escalas, análises fatoriais confirmatórias multigrupos indicaram a invariância fatorial da medida nos grupos masculino e feminino. A normatização preliminar foi estabelecida a partir do cálculo do percentil acumulado para os escores totais e por sexo. Esses resultados evidenciam propriedades psicométricas adequadas e constituem um avanço para a normatização das ESE.

Contribuições da Teoria da Desintegração Positiva para a Área de Superdotação

RESUMO A Teoria da Desintegração Positiva (TDP), proposta por Dabrowski, constitui importante ferramenta para a compreensão do desenvolvimento emocional de superdotados. Trata-se de uma teoria do desenvolvimento da personalidade que enfatiza o papel desempenhado pelas emoções no potencial de desenvolvimento humano. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar conceitos centrais da TDP e suas contribuições para a área da superdotação. É enfatizado o conceito de sobre-excitabilidade, que, além de ser considerado um indicador de superdotação, representa um construto chave para o desenvolvimento de medidas e para promoção de intervenções que tenham como foco as características de personalidade e emocionais dos superdotados.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Overexcitability Questionnaire-Two Applying Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling (BSEM) and Multiple-Group BSEM-Based Alignment with Approximate Measurement Invariance

The Overexcitability Questionnaire-Two (OEQ-II) measures the degree and nature of overexcitability, which assists in determining the developmental potential of an individual according to Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration. Previous validation studies using frequentist confirmatory factor analysis, which postulates exact parameter constraints, led to model rejection and a long series of model modifications. Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM) allows the application of zero-mean, small-variance priors for cross-loadings, residual covariances, and differences in measurement parameters across groups, better reflecting substantive theory and leading to better model fit and less overestimation of factor correlations. Our BSEM analysis with a sample of 516 students in higher education yields positive results regarding the factorial validity of the OEQ-II. Likewise, applying BSEM-based alignment with approximate measurement invariance, the absence of non-invariant factor loadings and intercepts across gender is supportive of the psychometric quality of the OEQ-II. Compared to males, females scored significantly higher on emotional and sensual overexcitability, and significantly lower on psychomotor overexcitability.

French validation of the overexcitability questionnaire 2: psychometric properties and factorial structure

Overexcitability corresponds to an overall response to stimulations in 5 domains: psychomotor, sensual, intellectual, imaginational, and emotional. The aim of this study was to develop a French version of the Overexcitability Questionnaire 2 (OEQ2) and to expand its psychometric properties. Two studies were conducted: one with a sample of 474 adolescents and another with a sample of 436 adults. Internal consistency, factorial structure, and validity (correlations with intelligence, personality, and alexithymia) were examined. The French OEQ2 showed satisfactory psychometric properties, thus advocating for its use in further research on overexcitability and in clinical practice.

Wie brauchbar ist der „Overexcitability Questionnaire-Two (OEQII)”?

Obwohl das Konstrukt „Overexcitability” („Übersensibilität”) aktuell vermehrt thematisiert wird, existieren nur wenige Validitätsbefunde. Darüber hinaus fehlt im deutschen Sprachraum bislang ein psychometrisch überprüftes Erfassungsverfahren. Bei drei Stichproben von Schülerinnen und Schülern der neunten bis elften Jahrgangsstufen wurde eine deutsche Version des im englischen Sprachraum zwar häufig verwendeten, jedoch psychometrisch nur unzureichend überprüften „Overexcitability Questionnaire-Two” (OEQII; 50 Items) von Falk, Lind, Miller, Piechowski und Silverman (1999) eingesetzt. Nach der Eliminierung von 18 ungeeigneten Items konnten die fünf OEQII-Skalen (emotionale, imaginative, psychomotorische, sensorische, intellektuelle Übersensibilität) faktorenanalytisch bestätigt werden, ihre psychometrischen Kennwerte waren zufriedenstellend. Als Validitätshinweise wurden Korrelationen zur allgemeinen Intelligenz, zu Schulnoten, den Big Five und zu Temperamentsskalen analysiert sowie Geschlechtsunterschiede betrachtet. Es ergaben sich nur sehr schwache Hinweise auf konvergent-divergente Validitäten. Die Brauchbarkeit des Konstrukts „Übersensibilität” bleibt fraglich.