High Abilities

Individuals with high abilities are those who exhibit intellectual traits that are qualitatively and quantitatively far superior to those of the general population. The concept has evolved over recent years: originally, giftedness was associated solely with academic success and later with a high IQ. Today, high intellectual abilities are linked to the development of exceptional talent.

High abilities typically manifest in early childhood and can be categorized into three main groups:

• Gifted children: They possess an innate ability to excel in any area of knowledge. They meet three core criteria: high intelligence, high creativity, and high task commitment.
• Children with specific talents: They stand out in a single area or specific aptitude. These talents include mathematical, verbal, logical, creative, and social abilities.
• Children with combined talents: They present a mix of talents. This group includes children with artistic-figurative talent or logical-verbal-memory talent.

Symptoms

Each child with high abilities has a unique profile, but there are frequent traits that commonly emerge with age:

• From ages 1 to 4:
• Early language development before the age of two, with vocabulary far beyond typical milestones.
• Strong desire to learn and frequent questioning about their surroundings.
• High memory capacity.
• Early and independent learning in areas like reading, writing, or math.
• From ages 4 to 6:
• Preference for interacting with adults or older children.
• Enjoyment of reading.
• High curiosity and strong observational skills.
• Ease and speed in understanding and assimilating concepts.
• From age 6 and up:
• Understanding, managing, and connecting abstract and complex ideas.
• Tendency to associate ideas in unusual ways.
• Enjoyment in tackling and solving challenges and problems.
• Remarkable talent in specific areas.
• Strong concentration in areas of interest, with possible attention difficulties in tasks that are repetitive or unengaging.
• Frequent changes in activity or interests to avoid boredom.
• Outstanding long-term memory.
• Interest in profound topics such as the origin of life, death, morality, etc.
• Dominance of logical thinking and reasoning.
• Exceptionally rich and creative artistic expressions.

In addition to cognitive traits, children with high abilities often display typical emotional and behavioral characteristics:

• Asynchronous development: cognitive skills evolve faster than emotional and social abilities.
• Emotional hypersensitivity and intensity.
• Energetic and active temperament.
• Tendency to challenge authority and impose their own views.
• Disobedience or resistance to following others’ instructions.
• Perfectionism: high standards for themselves and others.
• Vulnerability to failure and rejection.
• Frustration due to inactivity or lack of progress.
• Potential obsessive behaviors, rigidity, and inflexibility.
• Highly developed sense of morality, ethics, and justice.
• Sharp and mature sense of humor.

Causes

Intellectual ability is innate and hereditary. However, environmental factors play a significant role in the development of high abilities—that is, the presence of an environment that allows the child to leverage and expand their full potential.

Predisposing Factors

The following factors increase a child’s likelihood of developing high abilities:

• Family history.
• Early identification and diagnosis of high ability traits.
• Emotional support.
• The child’s motivation and self-esteem.
• Presence of intellectual stimulation, both at home and in school.
• Access to academic challenges at their level.
• Curriculum adaptation and support from teachers at school.

Complications

Contrary to popular belief, high abilities can present significant challenges, particularly from a social and emotional standpoint. Being aware of their differences from peers may lead children to hide their talents in order to fit in and avoid jealousy, envy, or bullying. In fact, rejection or bullying at school is common, often damaging the child's self-esteem and leading to social isolation. This can result in anxiety disorders, depression, or school phobia.

Another frequent issue among children with high abilities is academic failure. On the one hand, overconfidence may lead to a lack of effort in exams and assignments, ultimately resulting in failure. On the other hand, their scattered interests and inattention in subjects they find boring may lead to repeated failures in certain areas.

Moreover, their high level of perfectionism and self-imposed demands, combined with pressure from family or society, can make any failure a trigger for low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression—and may even result in obsessive-compulsive traits.

Prevention

High abilities cannot be prevented. However, the previously mentioned negative consequences can be prevented. To achieve this, parents and educators must learn about the child’s specific characteristics and needs—both emotional and intellectual—to provide an environment that supports their skill development while also fostering balanced psychosocial maturation.

What Specialist Treats High Abilities?

High abilities are assessed by professionals in psychology, psychiatry, pedagogy, and psychoeducation.