Did it ever happen to you that somebody asks you “so, what is giftedness?”. Not easy to explain. One of the difficulties comes from the fact that there isn’t a single, unambiguous definition, agreed by organisations or professionals, about this term.

Currently, one of the most accepted definition for giftedness is having exceptional natural abilities in a specific area (Margrain et al., 2015).

According to the APA (American Psychological Association), giftedness is “the state of possessing a great amount of natural ability, talent, or intelligence, which usually becomes evident at a very young age. Giftedness in intelligence is often categorized as an IQ of two standard deviations above the mean or higher (130 for most IQ tests), obtained on an individually administered IQ test.”

A second definition is based on the three-ring conception: giftedness is a combination of exceptional intellectual abilities, creativity (including for problem solving) and task commitment (Renzulli, 2005).

More recently, Warrel (et al. 2021) has tried to give a broader definition: giftedness is more than having potential (exceptional natural abilities), it is the result of using opportunities for developing this potential.

We understand the struggle of researchers and scientists to reach a single agreed definition. Giftedness seems so broad and complex that it may be sometimes overwhelming!

Overexcitabilities, empathy and many other aspects are often combined with cognitive intelligence and we experience it everyday with our children. Looking at it from another angle, giftedness is a neurological difference where the individual has an innate ability to both detect and comprehend the world in complex ways that differ significantly from age-expected norms.

In the end, giftedness is not just a high achievement but a different way of experiencing the world.

Resources:

• Canadian Psychological Association – factsheet: “Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Giftedness in Children and Youth – Canadian Psychological Association
• APA’s Dictionary: APA Dictionary of Psychology
• Characteristics and Traits of Gifted Children | Davidson Institute