Solenn Kermarrec1, Laurie Attinger1, Jacques-Henri Guignard1, Sylvie Tordjman2. 1. Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Centre National d'Aide aux enfants et adolescents à Haut Potentiel, Centre Hospitalier Guillaume Régnier, Université de Rennes 1, France. 2. Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Centre National d'Aide aux enfants et adolescents à Haut Potentiel, Centre Hospitalier Guillaume Régnier, Université de Rennes 1; and Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, UMR 8242, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported anxiety disorders in children with high intellectual potential (HIP). However, there are discrepant results possibly as a result of methodological biases (different/absent definitions of HIP, small sample sizes, non-validated/adapted/specific tools for assessing anxiety and a single observational source). AIMS: To examine more thoroughly the relationships between HIP and anxiety in large samples of children using clear definitions of HIP, different observational sources and specific assessments of anxiety. METHOD: Children with HIP (n = 211, total IQ ≥130) were compared with children without HIP (n = 397, total IQ <130) for anxiety using different observational sources (child psychiatric diagnosis, parental evaluation and child's self-evaluation). Intellectual functioning was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. RESULTS: There were significantly more children with HIP who had anxiety disorders than children without HIP based on the child psychiatric diagnosis. Moreover, based on the child's self-evaluation, children with a high Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI ≥130) were significantly more anxious than children with a VCI <130, whereas children with a high Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI ≥130) were significantly less anxious than children with a PRI <130. Finally, there was no significant relationship between levels of intellectual functioning and anxiety according to parental observation. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of using multiple observational sources and conducting analyses on different dimensions of intellectual functioning (such as VCI and PRI), rather than only on the composite total IQ score. High verbal potential might be a factor of vulnerability for anxiety, whereas high perceptual reasoning might be a protective factor. Further studies are necessary to understand better the mechanisms underlying these results.
BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported anxiety disorders in children with high intellectual potential (HIP). However, there are discrepant results possibly as a result of methodological biases (different/absent definitions of HIP, small sample sizes, non-validated/adapted/specific tools for assessing anxiety and a single observational source). AIMS: To examine more thoroughly the relationships between HIP and anxiety in large samples of children using clear definitions of HIP, different observational sources and specific assessments of anxiety. METHOD:Children with HIP (n = 211, total IQ ≥130) were compared with children without HIP (n = 397, total IQ <130) for anxiety using different observational sources (childpsychiatric diagnosis, parental evaluation and child's self-evaluation). Intellectual functioning was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. RESULTS: There were significantly more children with HIP who had anxiety disorders than children without HIP based on the childpsychiatric diagnosis. Moreover, based on the child's self-evaluation, children with a high Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI ≥130) were significantly more anxious than children with a VCI <130, whereas children with a high Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI ≥130) were significantly less anxious than children with a PRI <130. Finally, there was no significant relationship between levels of intellectual functioning and anxiety according to parental observation. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of using multiple observational sources and conducting analyses on different dimensions of intellectual functioning (such as VCI and PRI), rather than only on the composite total IQ score. High verbal potential might be a factor of vulnerability for anxiety, whereas high perceptual reasoning might be a protective factor. Further studies are necessary to understand better the mechanisms underlying these results.
Entities:
Keywords:
High intellectual potential; anxiety; children; cognitive profile; gifted