A Multidisciplinary Approach to Understanding and Managing Developmental Asynchronies in Gifted Children

Presenters: Stephanie Meyer, PhD; Mim Ochsenbein, OTR/L; and Barbara Joffe, MA, Natasha Parsakia, BCBA, Heather Marenda, MS, CCC-SLP, and Gary Etting, O.D., F.C.O.V.D.

Children with superior intellectual capacities frequently manifest lagging skills in other areas of development. A variety of available intervention methods are designed to help minimize the impact of developmental asynchronies on a child’s capacity to express his/her intellectual and creative gifts. The present panel will include a child psychologist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist, special educator, behaviorist, and developmental optometrist, who will discuss empirically supported strategies designed to target areas of challenge commonly seen among gifted youth.

Transcript

1. A  Mul&disciplinary  Approach  to   Understanding  and  Managing   Developmental  Asymmetries  Among   Young  Gi;ed  Children   Heather  Marenda,  M.S.,  CCC-­‐SLP   Speech-­‐Language  Pathologist   Stephanie  Meyer,  Ph.D.   Child  Clinical  Psychologist     Barbara  Joffe,  M.A.   Special  Educator     Gary  EIng,  O.D.,  F.C.O.V.D.   Developmental  Optometrist     Mim  Ochsenbein,  MSW,  OTR/L   Occupa&onal  Therapist     Natasha  Parsakia,  M.A.,  BCBA   Behavior  Analyst    
2. What  is  life,  what  is  &me?    What  do  you  know  about  this  liVle  rhyme?                      -­‐-­‐Lucy,  4  ½  years  old   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
3. Agenda   •  Defini&ons  of  Gi;edness   •  Gi;edness  in  Very  Young  Children   –  Case  descrip&on   –  Review  of  the  literature   –  Proposed  neurodevelopmental  model   •  Findings  from  an  Early  Childhood  Assessment   Prac&ce   •  Implica&ons  for  Differen&al  Diagnosis  and   Interven&on   •  Mul&disciplinary  Discussion   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
4. What  is  Gi;edness?  Federal  Defini&on      Students,  children,  or  youth  who  give   evidence  of  high  achievement  capability  in   areas  such  as  intellectual,  crea&ve,  ar&s&c,  or   leadership  capacity,  or  in  specific  academic   fields,  and  who  need  services  and  ac&vi&es   not  ordinarily  provided  by  the  school  in  order   to  fully  develop  those  capabili&es.   Amend  &  Peters,  2012     Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
5. Gi;edness  is  asynchronous  development  in  which   advanced  cogni&ve  abili&es  and  heightened   intensity  combine  to  create  inner  experiences  and   awareness  that  are  qualita&vely  different  from  the   norm.  This  asynchrony  increases  with  higher   intellectual  capacity.  The  uniqueness  of  the  gi;ed   renders  them  par&cularly  vulnerable  and  requires   modifica&ons  in  paren&ng,  teaching  and  counseling   in  order  for  them  to  develop  op&mally.                    -­‐-­‐Columbus  Group  (1991)   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
6. What  does  gi;edness  look  like  in  a   very  young  child?   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
7. Brian   Iden&fying  Informa&on   •  First  seen  at  2  years,  11  months   •  Parents  seeking  evalua&on  to  get  “peace  of   mind”  regarding  the  possibility  that  Brian  may   suffer  from  an  au&sm  spectrum  condi&on   •  And  to  determine  “if  we’re  doing  everything  we   can  if  there’s  something  we  can  be  doing”   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
8. Brian   Iden&fying  Informa&on   •  Parents  describe  Brian  as  an  “adorable,  imagina&ve  liVle  guy”  who  is  physically   affec&onate,  empathic,  prone  to  daydreaming,  and  “independent  minded”   •  Extremely  sensi&ve  to  others’  feelings,  and  becomes  upset  if  he  hears  another   child  or  a  fic&onal  character  crying   •  Enjoys  building  space  ships  out  of  Legos,  having  books  read  to  him  about  the   weather  (as  he  is  interested  in  beVer  understanding  “how  it  works”),  taking   things  apart  to  see  how  they  func&on,  riding  his  scooter,  and  playing   “explorer”  during  which  he  studies  the  habits  of  insects  and  paVerns  of  the   clouds   •  At  2  years  old,  he  is  able  to  name  all  of  the  planets  and  “tell  you  a  bit  about   each”,  and  he  enjoys  talking  about  his  favorite  astronauts,  saying  things  like,   “Remember  when  Wally  Schirra  le;  his  footprints  on  the  moon?”   •  He  loves  music  and  his  musical  tastes  range  from  Lady  Gaga  to  the  Superman   symphony   •  At  home,  ini&ates  imagina&ve  play  involving  “a  family  of  superheroes”,  in   which  he  is  Superman,  his  mother  is  Wonder  Woman,  and  his  father  is  the   Green  Lantern   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
9. Brian   Developmental  History   •  Only  child   •  Conceived  when  his  mother  was  32  and  his  father  was  39   •  Mother  experienced  swelling  during  pregnancy,  of  unknown  e&ology,  but  otherwise  pregnancy  was   largely  unremarkable   •  Mother’s  water  broke  at  35  weeks.  Brian  was  born  via  emergency    c-­‐sec&on,  a;er  he  showed  signs   of  fetal  distress   •  As  a  newborn,  suffered  from  jaundice,  and  was  treated  with  phototherapy  in  the  NICU   •  Once  home,  he  had  difficulty  gaining  weight  during  the  first  3  months,  un&l  he  was  taken  off  dairy   and  started  to  thrive   •  Suffered  from  frequent  colds  and  ear  infec&ons  between  8  months  and  2  ½  years   •  Diagnosed  with  Reac&ve  Airway  Disease  at  2  years  old,  treated  successfully  with  homeopathic   remedies   •  Parents  describe  Brian  as  having  been  an  “easy,  social,  mellow  baby”   •  Motor  milestones  were  achieved  within  expected  limits   •  Taught  himself  how  to  sign  at  8  months  from  watching  baby  signing  videos   •  First  words  spoken  at  9  months,  phrase  speech  at  12  months   •  Appears  to  be  either  le;  handed  or  ambidextrous   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
10. Brian   Family  History   •  History  of  Generalized  Anxiety  Disorder  and  Panic  Disorder  in  the   extended  family   •  Maternal  grandfather  suffers  from  bipolar  disorder,  mul&ple  sclerosis,  and   a  history  of  alcoholism   •  Paternal  grandfather  described  as  “brilliant”  and  “frequently  lost  in   thought”  and  “could  hold  court  on  a  topic  and  didn’t  care  if  anyone  was   listening”   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
11. Brian   History  of  Presen&ng  Concerns   •  Parents  first  became  concerned  regarding  Brian’s  development  at  2  years,  2  months   when  his  preschool  director  recommended  evalua&on  given  a  number  of  “red  flags”   observed  by  his  teachers       •  Diagnos&c  assessment  with  a  developmental  pediatrician  was  nega&ve  for  an  au&sm   spectrum  condi&on,  but  his  school’s  con&nuing  concerns  led  the  parents  to  seek  a   second  opinion   •  At  the  &me  of  evalua&on,  Brian’s  teachers  expressed  concern  regarding  the  following   behaviors:   –  Limited  engagement  with  peers,  par&cularly  on  the  playground;  decreased   responsiveness  to  social  overtures  (frequently  tells  peers,  “I  need  space”);     –  Preference  for  interac&ng  with  teachers  over  age-­‐mates   –  Lack  of  “social  themes”  in  drama&c  play   –  Avoidance  of  eye  contact   –  Does  not  always  respond  to  his  name  and  verbal  direc&ves,  par&cularly  during   music  class   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
12. Brian   History  of  Presen&ng  Concerns   •  Teacher  concerns  (con&nued):   –  Difficulty  following  classroom  rou&nes  and  independently  carrying  out  the  steps   of  toile&ng  and  seIng/clearing  his  place  seIng  at  meals   –  Covers  ears  when  an&cipa&ng  a  loud  noise  (e.g.  siren  in  the  distance)   –  Has  begun  making  verbal  threats  to  those  who  make  loud  noises,  at  one  point   threatening  to  kick  the  music  teacher   –  Tendency  to  put  inedible  objects  in  his  mouth   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
13. Brian   Behavioral  Observa&ons   •  Adorable  young  boy  with  huge  brown  eyes  and  a  bright,  open  smile   •  During  1:1  with  examiner,  consistent  eye  contact,  well  coordinated  with  gesture,   facial  expression,  and  vocaliza&on   •  High  level  of  interpersonal  engagement,  frequent  social  overtures,  and  ini&a&on  of   joint  play  ac&vi&es   •  Variable  aVen&on,  more  difficult  to  secure  his  aVen&on  while  focused  on  object  or   ac&vity  of  interest;  occasionally  enters  into  dazed  state   •  Clear  interests  in  cars,  superheroes,  outer  space,  geography;  becomes  more   focused  on  these  topics  when  faced  with  cogni&ve  and  social  challenges  that   overwhelm  his  current  capabili&es  (e.g.  gree&ngs)   •  Difficulty  transi&oning  from  preferred  ac&vi&es   •  Sits  in  W  posi&on,  puts  hands  over  his  ears  in  an&cipa&on  of  loud  noises,  threw  a   toy  at  Grover  puppet  when  the  examiner  made  it  speak  in  a  somewhat  louder,   Grover-­‐like  voice   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
14. Brian   School  Observa&ons   •  Classroom  has  27:3  ra&o  of  students  to  teachers,  and  children  range  in  age  from  2   to  5  ½  years,  with  Brian  being  the  youngest.   •  During  circle  &me,  lay  down  on  the  floor  facing  away  from  the  group   •  During  clean-­‐up  &me,  con&nued  to  play  on  his  own,  rather  than  helping  to  put   away  toys   •  Spent  much  of  90-­‐minute  recess  &me  running  around  by  himself  not  engaging  with   other  children;  tenta&vely  approached  a  group  of  girls,  but  distanced  himself  once   the  group  increased  in  volume;  was  overheard  saying,  “I’m  gonna  kick  those  girls   off  the  castle  and  then  they’re  going  to  fall  off  the  castle”   •  During  music  class,  avoided  eye  contact  with  the  teacher,  sat  with  his  hands  in  his   mouth;  as  the  music  teacher  passed  a  drum  around  for  each  child  to  bang  several   &mes,  Brian’s  eyelids  fluVered,  and  his  face  was  frozen  in  a  lopsided  grin;  during   dance  ac&vi&es,  he  remained  on  the  periphery  of  the  group  doing  his  own  thing   •  Exhibited  significantly  higher  capacity  for  social  engagement  during  small-­‐group   indoor  ac&vi&es  (8:1  student  to  teacher  ra&o),  fully  par&cipa&ng  during  circle  &me   ac&vi&es,  interac&ve  games,  and  joint  pretend  play   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
15. Characteris&cs  of  gi;edness     in  early  childhood    Review  of  the  literature   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
16. Characteris&cs  of  gi;edness  in  early   childhood  (Harrison,  2005)   Excep&onal  memory   Advanced  social  interac&ons  (with  adults)   Rapid  pace  of  learning   Offers  alterna&ve  and  divergent  solu&ons   to  problems   Asks  probing  ques&ons   Follows  complex  instruc&ons   Ability  to  generalize  knowledge  to  new   situa&ons   Wide  range  of  interests   Ar&culate  and  expressive,  with  an   extensive  vocabulary   Social  maturity   Ques&ons  authority   Advanced  mathema&cal  ability   Intensity  of  purpose   Perfec&onism   Heightened  sensi&vity   Strong  sense  of  social  jus&ce   Sense  of  humor   Crea&ve  and  imagina&ve   Percep&ve  regarding  the  feelings  of  others   Early  reading   Differences  in  play  paVerns   Advanced  physical  development   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
17. Characteris&cs  of  gi;edness  in  early   childhood  (Robinson,  1993)   Impressive  long-­‐  and  short-­‐term  memory   Capacity  to  grasp  and    ponder  abstract   concepts   Long  aVen&on  span   Rapid  rate  of  learning   Early  emerging  and  extensive  vocabulary   Advanced  reasoning  skills   High  degree  of  imagina&on   Ability  to  generalize  new  knowledge   Insa&able  curiosity   Ability  to  make  abstract  connec&ons   Preference  for  older  playmates   Advanced  capacity  to  reflect  on,  or   observe,  one’s  own  thinking   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
18. Addi&onal  characteris&cs  of  very  young  gi;ed  children  as   described  by  preschool  teachers  (Sankar-­‐DeLeeuw,  1999)   Discordant  development   Emo&onal  immaturity   Socializa&on  difficul&es   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
19. Gi;edness  is  asynchronous  development  in  which   advanced  cogni&ve  abili&es  and  heightened   intensity  combine  to  create  inner  experiences  and   awareness  that  are  qualita&vely  different  from  the   norm.  This  asynchrony  increases  with  higher   intellectual  capacity.  The  uniqueness  of  the  gi.ed   renders  them  par4cularly  vulnerable  and  requires   modifica&ons  in  paren&ng,  teaching  and  counseling   in  order  for  them  to  develop  op&mally.                    -­‐-­‐Columbus  Group  (1991)   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
20. Factors  Associated  with  Func&onal  Impairment   among  Highly  Gi;ed  Youth   •  Sensory  processing  deficits  (Arehole  and  Rigo,  1999)   •  Execu&ve  func&on  impairment  (Lovecky,  2003)   •  Learning  differences  (Webb  et  al,  2007)     •  Social  adjustment  difficul&es  (Janos  et  al,  1984)   •  Poor  school  fit  (Grant,  2012;  Gross,  2004)   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
21. Proposed  Neurodevelopmental  Model   of  Gi;ed  Intelligence   Mrazik  and  Dombrowski,  2010   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
22. Findings  from  an  Early  Childhood   Assessment  Prac&ce   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
23. Ques&ons:   •  Are  paVerns  of  developmental  asynchrony  that  have   been  iden&fied  among  older  highly  gi;ed  children   detectable  within  a  clinically-­‐referred  group  of  very   young  highly  gi;ed  children?   •  How  do  such  paVerns  of  developmental  asynchrony   manifest  behaviorally  at  this  young  age?       •  Can  we  apply  what  we  know  about  empirically-­‐ supported  early  interven&on  strategies  to  this   popula&on  of  children  in  order  to  strengthen  and   support  areas  of  lagging  development,  thus  allowing   for  greater  expression  of  intellectual  and  crea&ve  gi;s?   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
24. Distribu&on  of  Highly-­‐Gi;ed  Referrals   IQ  Tes&ng  for   Academic   Planning   58%   Comprehensive   Assessment     (Highly  Gi;ed)   26%   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
25. Hypotheses   1.  In  keeping  with  the  neurodevelopmental  model  of  Mrazik  and   Dombrowski  (1999),  highly  gi;ed  young  children  referred  for   comprehensive  assessment  will  have  experienced  a  higher  rate  of   pregnancy  and  birth  complica&ons  than  highly  gi;ed  young  children   whose  parents  report  no  developmental  or  behavioral  concerns  (IQ   tes&ng  only).    This  subgroup  of  children  will  also  have  a  history  of  greater   challenges  mee&ng  the  salient  demands  of  infancy  and  toddlerhood.   2.  Highly  gi;ed  young  children  referred  for  comprehensive  evalua&on  will   exhibit  a  greater  degree  of  asynchrony  across  IQ  scores  than  will  highly   gi;ed  children  whose  parents  report  no  developmental  or  behavioral   concerns  (IQ  tes&ng  only).   3.  Highly  gi;ed  young  children  referred  for  comprehensive  assessment  will   exhibit  a  broader  paVern  of  developmental  asynchrony  across  addi&onal   areas  of  development,  including:   –  sensory  processing     –  execu&ve  func&on   –  social  adjustment   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
26. Child  Characteris&cs  and  Demographics   IQ  Only   N=29   Comprehensive   Assessment   N=12   Significance   Age  at  Assessment   5.01  years   5.27  years   P<.08   %  Caucasian   62%   83%   P=.17   First  born  or  only  child   85%   100%   P=.30   Allergies   7%   33%   P=.02   Sensory  processing   differences   64%   92%   P=.08   Right  handed   93%   75%   P=.15   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
27. Reason  for  Referral   0   10   20   30   40   50   60   70   80   90   100   Comprehensive   Assessment     IQ  Tes&ng     Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
28. Comparison  of  Assessment  BaVeries   Domain  of   Development   Comprehensive  Assessment   IQ  Tes4ng   Intelligence   WPPSI-­‐III  or  WISC-­‐IV   WPPSI-­‐III  or  WISC-­‐IV   Execu4ve  Func4on   NEPSY-­‐II,  BRIEF   AVen4on   T.O.V.A.,  NEPSY-­‐II   Expressive/Recep4ve   Language   NEPSY-­‐II   Pragma4c  Language   CASL   Social  Understanding   NEPSY-­‐II   Visual-­‐Spa4al   Processing,  Visual-­‐ Motor  Integra4on   Purdue  Pegboard,  NEPSY-­‐II,  Coding   Adap4ve  Func4oning   Vineland-­‐II   Emo4onal/Behavioral   KSADS,  CBCL,  CSI   Memory   NEPSY-­‐II   Learning   NEPSY-­‐II,  WJ-­‐III   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
29. Prenatal  and  Birth  History   IQ  Only   N=29   Comprehensive   Assessment   N=12   Significance   Mother’s  Age  at   Concep&on   33.6   33.7   P<.93   Father’s  Age  at   Concep&on   35.68   35.17   P<.73   Physical  Health  During   Pregnancy   20   33   P=.31   Delivery  Complica&ons   21   42   P=.18   Fetal  Distress   0%   33%   P=.01   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
30. Infancy  Characteris&cs   IQ  Only   N=29   Comprehensive   Evalua4on   N=12   Significance   Colic  or  reflux?   11%   25%   P=.26   Easy  baby   71%   33%   P=.08   Ac&ve  baby   68%   50%   P=.35   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
31. Developmental  Milestones   IQ  Only   N=29   Comprehensive   Assessment   N=12   Significance   Walked   12.70  months   12.58  months   P<.87   Spoke  first  words   12.62  months   13.2  months   P<.79   Toilet  trained-­‐ bladder   30  months   27  months   P<.48   Toilet  trained-­‐ bowel   31.31  months   36.7  months   P<.09   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
32. Comparison  of  FSIQ,  VIQ,  and  PIQ  Scores  Among  Highly  Gi;ed   Children  Referred  for  Comprehensive  Assessment  vs.  IQ   Tes&ng  Only     120   122   124   126   128   130   132   134   136   138   140   IQ  Tes&ng   Comprehensive  Assessment   FSIQ   VIQ   PIQ   †   *   *  p  <  .05;  †  p  <  .10   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
33. Comparison  of  PIQ  Subtest  Scores  Among  Highly  Gi;ed   Children  Referred  for  Comprehensive  Assessment  vs.  IQ   Tes&ng  Only     1   3   5   7   9   11   13   15   17   19   IQ  Tes&ng   Comprehensive  Assessment   Block  Design   Picture  Concepts   Matrix  Reasoning   *   *  p  <  .05   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
34. Hypotheses   1.  Highly  gi;ed  young  children  seen  for  developmental  and/or   behavioral  concerns  will  have  experienced  a  higher  rate  of  pregnancy   and  birth  complica&ons  than  highly  gi;ed  children  whose  parents   report  no  developmental  or  behavioral  concerns,  and  will  have  met   with  greater  difficulty  mastering  salient  developmental  tasks  of   infancy  and  toddlerhood.   2.  Highly  gi;ed  young  children  seen  for  developmental  and/or   behavioral  concerns  will  exhibit  greater  asynchrony  across  IQ   composite  scores  than  will  highly  gi;ed  children  whose  parents  report   no  developmental  or  behavioral  concerns.   3.  Highly  gi.ed  young  children  seen  for  developmental  and/or   behavioral  concerns  will  exhibit  addi4onal  signs  of  developmental   asynchrony  on  measures  of:   –  sensory  processing     –  execu4ve  func4on   –  social  adjustment   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
35. Execu&ve  Func&ons  Defined   •  “The complex set of cognitive processes that underlie flexible, goal-directed responses to novel or difficult situations” •  The  Execu&ve  Func&ons  include  the  following  components:   –  Ability  to  inhibit,  resist,  or  not  act  on  impulse   –  Ability  move  freely  from  one  situa&on,  idea  or  ac&vity  to  another  as  the   circumstances  demand     –  Ability  to  modulate  emo&onal  responses  “according  to  the  demands  of   the  situa&on”     –  Ability  to  hold  informa&on  in  mind  for  purposes  of  comple&ng  a  task   (working  memory)   –  Ability  to  an&cipate  current  and  future-­‐oriented  task  demands  (planning)   and  take  appropriate  ac&on  in  an  organized  and  effec&ve  fashion   •  The  execu&ve  func&ons  are  believed  to  be  regulated  by  the   prefrontal  cortex   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
36. Execu&ve  Func&oning  among  Young  Children  Referred  for   Comprehensive  Assessment,  as  Measured  by  Parent  Report  on  the   Behavior  Ra&ng  Inventory  of  Execu&ve  Func&ons  (BRIEF)  (n=8)   50   52   54   56   58   60   62   T-­‐Score   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
37. Parent-­‐Reported  Daily  Living  Skills  Among  Highly  Gi;ed   Children  Referred  for  Comprehensive  Assessment  (N  =  9)   50   60   70   80   90   100   Full-­‐Scale  IQ   Daily  Living  Skills   Percen4le  Rank   *  p  <  .05;  †  p  <  .10   * Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
38. Comparison  of  Verbal  IQ  vs.  Verbal  Fluency  Among  Highly  Gi;ed   Children  Referred  for  Comprehensive  Assessment  (N  =  11)   50   60   70   80   90   100   Verbal  IQ   Verbal  Fluency   Percen4le  Rank   *  p  <  .05;  †  p  <  .10   * Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
39. Signs  of  Verbal  Fluency  Challenges  among     Highly-­‐Gi;ed  Young  Children   •  Difficulty  responding  to  open-­‐ended  ques&ons  (e.g.   how  was  your  day?  What  did  you  do  today?)   •  Difficulty  genera&ng  novel  play  ideas  under  open-­‐ ended  condi&ons  (i.e.  free  play)   •  Difficulty  filling  &me  on  his/her  own   •  Resistance  to  playing  alone   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
40. Hypotheses   1.  Highly  gi;ed  young  children  seen  for  developmental  and/or   behavioral  concerns  will  have  experienced  a  higher  rate  of  pregnancy   and  birth  complica&ons  than  highly  gi;ed  children  whose  parents   report  no  developmental  or  behavioral  concerns,  and  will  have  met   with  greater  difficulty  mastering  salient  developmental  tasks  of   infancy  and  toddlerhood.   2.  Highly  gi;ed  young  children  seen  for  developmental  and/or   behavioral  concerns  will  exhibit  greater  asynchrony  across  IQ   composite  scores  than  will  highly  gi;ed  children  whose  parents  report   no  developmental  or  behavioral  concerns.   3.  Highly  gi.ed  young  children  seen  for  developmental  and/or   behavioral  concerns  will  exhibit  addi4onal  signs  of  developmental   asynchrony  on  measures  of:   –  sensory  processing     –  execu&ve  func&on   –  social  adjustment   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
41. Parent-­‐Reported  Socializa&on  Skills  among  Highly  Gi;ed   Children  Referred  for  Comprehensive  Assessment  (N  =  9)   50   60   70   80   90   100   Full-­‐Scale  IQ   Socializa&on  Skills   Percen4le  Rank   *  p  <  .05;  †  p  <  .10   *   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
42. Comparison  of  Interpersonal  Understanding  vs.  Affect   Recogni&on  among  Highly  Gi;ed  Children  Referred  for   Comprehensive  Assessment  (N  =  8)   50   60   70   80   90   100   Interpersonal   Understanding   Affect  Recogni&on   Percen4le  Rank   †   *  p  <  .05;  †  p  <  .10   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
43. Comparison  of  VIQ  vs.  Social  Communica&on  among  Highly   Gi;ed  Children  Referred  for  Comprehensive  Assessment  (N  =  8)   50   55   60   65   70   75   80   85   90   95   100   Verbal  IQ   Social  Communica&on   Percen4le  Rank   †   *  p  <  .05;  †  p  <  .10   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
44. !"#$%&#' (()' *)' +,-' !"#$%&#' ./&0' !"#$%&#' 123#$/,$' 4#5,-' !"#$%&#' 6#$7' 123#$/,$' 8#55' 4#5,-' !"#$%&#' ())' (9)' :)' ;)' (<)' EF/Verbal   Fluency   Sensory   Processing   Social   Communica&on   Verbal  and   Nonverbal   Reasoning   Interpersonal   Understanding   Daily  Living   Skills   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
45. Preschool  Placement:     The  Struggle  to  Find  a  Good  Fit   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
46. Comparison  of  Parent  and  Teacher  Report  of  Behavioral   Issues  Among  Highly  Gi;ed  Preschoolers  Seeking   Comprehensive  Assessment   50   55   60   65   70   75   80   85   Parent  Report   Teacher  Report   †   *   *  p  <  .05;  †  p  <  .10   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
47. Summary   •  Among  very  young,  highly-­‐gi;ed  children,  there  is  a  subset  of   individuals  who  come  to  clinical  aVen&on  due  to  adult  concerns   regarding  development  and/or  behavior.   •  As  a  group,  these  children  scored  lower  on  measures  of  visual   processing  and  visual-­‐motor  integra&on,  as  compared  to  the   larger  popula&on  of  highly  gi;ed  young  children,  thus   contribu&ng  to  decreases  in  overall  PIQ  and  FSIQ.   •  This  subgroup  also  showed  broader  signs  of  lagging  skill  within   the  domains  of  sensory  processing,  execu&ve  func&oning/verbal   fluency,  daily  living  skills,  and  social  communica&on.   •  Within  typical  preschool/early  elementary  school  environments,   this  par&cular  subgroup  of  highly-­‐gi;ed  young  children  may   display  heightened  levels  of  anxiety  and  inaVen&on,  as  compared   to  their  behavior  at  home.   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
48. Implica&ons  for  Early  Interven&on   •  Geared  toward  strengthening  areas  of  rela&ve   challenge  so  as  to  allow  for  greater  expression  of   intellectual,  interpersonal,  and  crea&ve  gi;s.   •  Important  to  obtain  as  much  informa&on  from  as   many  sources  as  possible  (caregivers,  teacher,   previous/current  treatment  providers)  when   developing  an  interven&on  plan,  and  to  observe   the  child  across  seIngs   •  Generally  involves  mul&disciplinary  approach   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
49. Brian   18-­‐Month  Follow-­‐Up   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
50. Brian   Referrals/Recommenda&ons   •  Occupa&onal  therapy   –  Sensory  processing  delays,  motor  planning,  play  skills   •  Social  communica&on  group   –  Verbal  fluency,  social  communica&on,  play  skills   •  School-­‐based  behavioral  interven&on   –  Social  communica&on,  peer  interac&on,  managing   responses  to  elevated  auditory  and  visual  s&mula&on   •  Change  in  preschool  seIng   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
51. Brian   18-­‐Month  Follow-­‐Up:  Parent  Report   •  “…many  advances  in  his  overall  well  being.    He   seems  confident,  more  adventurous,  more   social  and  is  a  wonderful  older  brother.  Really   fantas&c.  Very  gentle,  and  with  the  excep&on   of  his  covering  his  ears  when  she  cries-­‐  he  is   very  pa&ent  and  understanding”.   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
52. Brian   Comparison  of  CBCL  Profile  Pre-­‐  and  Post-­‐Interven&on   B B B B B J J J J J Em otionally Reactive Anxious/Depressed Som atic Com plaints W ithdrawn Attention Problem s 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 B Baseline J Follow-up Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
53. Brian   Comparison  of  CBCL  Profile  Pre-­‐  and  Post-­‐Interven&on   B B B B B J J J J J Affective Problem s Anxiety Problem s Pervasive Developmental Problems Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Problems Oppositional Defiant Problems 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 B Baseline J Follow-up Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
54. Brian   Comparison  of  IQ  Scores  Pre-­‐  and  Post-­‐Interven&on   95   100   105   110   115   120   125   130   135   140   145   150   155   Full-­‐Scale  IQ   Verbal  IQ   Performance  IQ   Baseline   Follow-­‐Up   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
55. Implica&ons  for  Differen&al  Diagnosis   Gi.edness   Au4sm  Spectrum  Disorder   Heightened  sensi&vity  to  interpersonal  and   environmental  factors  may  contribute  to   withdrawal  or  avoidance  of  social  interac&on   Impaired  socializa&on  skills  due  to  decreased   awareness  and  interest  in  other  people   Heightened  interpersonal  understanding  may  lead   to  avoidance  of  certain  people  and  situa&ons   Interpersonal  avoidance  stem  from  decreased   ability  to  understand  others’  feelings,  perspec&ves   and  point  of  view   Lagging  visual  processing  skills  may  impact  ability   to  accurately  iden&fy  emo&ons  based  on  facial   cues   Decreased  capacity  to  comprehend  others’   thoughts  and  feelings  leads  to  decreased  empathic   aVunement   May  show  atypical  responses  to  nega&ve  feedback   due  to  heightened  interpersonal  sensi&vity     Atypical  response  to  nega&ve  feedback  stems  from   presumed  indifference  to  the  displeasure  of   others,  and  diminished  capacity  to  be  influenced   by  others’  disapproval   Delays  in  verbal  fluency  can  make  it  difficult  to   par&cipate  in  rapid,  flexible  conversa&onal   exchange   Difficulty  engaging  in  reciprocal  social  interac&on   due  to  inability  to  understand  others’  point  of  view   and  decreased  understanding  of  social  cues   Despite  well-­‐developed  imagina&on,  may  exhibit   decreased  capacity  for  pretend  play  due  to  delays   in  verbal/idea&onal  fluency   Delayed  play  skills  stem  from  difficulty  imagining,   pretending,  or  assuming  hypothe&cals   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
56. Discussion   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
57. Gary  EIng,  O.D.,  F.C.O.V.D.   Developmental  Optometrist   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
58. Heather  Marenda,  M.S.,  CCC-­‐SLP   Speech-­‐Language  Pathologist   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
59. Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
60. Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
61. Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
62. Mim  Ochsenbein,  OTR/L,  MSW   Occupa&onal  Therapist   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
63. Sensory  Processing  Defined   •  The  ability  to  take  in  informa&on  from  our  bodies   and  the  environment,  successfully  interpret  that   informa&on,  and  organize  it  into  a  meaningful   and  purposeful  adap&ve  response.     •  Sensory  processing  impacts  our  ability  to  self-­‐ regulate,  delay  gra4fica4on,  tolerate  change,   aVend  and  focus.   •  Provides  important  founda&on  for  social,   emo&onal  and  rela&onal  development.   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
64. How  it  comes  together….   Source:  Ayres,  2005   *S   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
65. +   Sensory  Processing  Disorder  (SPD)                                 When  there  is  an  inability  to  successfully  register,  process,  and  organize  sensory   informa&on  for    appropriate,  adap&ve,    meaningful,  use.  Problem  can  be  in  any   part  of  the  chain  –  all  occurring  in  the  central  and  peripheral  nervous  system.     This  system  dysfunc&on  impacts  social,  emo&onal,  rela&onal,  physiological  and   neurological  processes.   Sensory   Processing   Disorder  (SPD)   Sensory   Modula&on   Disorder  (SMD)   Sensory  Over-­‐ Responsivity   Sensory  Under-­‐ Responsivity   Sensory  Seeking   Sensory   Discrimina&on   Disorder  (SDD)   Sensory-­‐Based-­‐   Motor  Disorder   (SBMD)   Postural   Disorders   Dyspraxia   *Based  on  the  work  of  Lucy  Jane  Miller   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
66. What  goes  on:   Source:  Schwab,  2003   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
67. +   When  the  Rhythm  is  off…   You  get  DISSONANCE   Source:  Schwab,  2003   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
68. Natasha  Parsakia,  M.A.,  BCBA   Behavior  Analyst   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
69. Gi;ed  Children  &  Behavioral  Problems   •  Intense  fears  about  topics  they  can   intellectually  understand,  but  cannot   emo&onally  process   •  Sensory-­‐Seeking  and/or  defensiveness  that   impacts  social  interac&ons   •  Avoidance  of  demand  situa&ons  (social,   emo&onal,  physical,  and  academic)   •  Intensity  of  emo&on  in  responses   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
70. When  is  Interven&on  Needed   •  Signs  to  look  for  include:   – Never  sa&sfied  with  his/her  own  performance   – Unwillingness  to  try  new  things  and  accomplishes   very  liVle     – Developing  compulsive  behaviors  that  require   professional  medical  or  psychological  assistance   – Desire  to  rebel  when  presented  with  challenges                         Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
71. Recommenda&ons   •  Parent  advocacy   •  “Catching  them  when  they  are  good”  (Nicpon,  2006)   •  Be  cognizant  of  the  mul&ple  meanings  of  the  word   “boring”  (Rimm,  2006)   •  Discuss  your  own  weaknesses   •  Study  the  lives  of  eminent  people  (Pyryt,  2004)   •  Assist  with  execu&ve  func&oning  tasks  for  complex   projects   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
72. Execu&ve  Func&oning     Skills  Most  O;en  Impacted     •  Response  Inhibi&on   •  Self-­‐regula&on  of  affect   •  Task  ini&a&on   •  Flexibility   •  Planning/Priori&za&on   •  Organiza&on   •  Time  Management   •  Goal-­‐directed  persistence   •  Metacogni&on                      (Dawson  &  Guare,  2004)   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
73. What  Takes  Place  In  the  Minds  of  Our  Gi.ed   Children   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
74. ABA  &  Mentalism   •  Applied  Behavior  Analysis  (ABA)  applies  findings  of  experimental  analysis   of  behavior  to  social  issues     •  Behavior  analysis  is  a  natural  science  because  it  doesn’t  employ  mentalism   •  Mentalism  refers  to  feelings/states  of  mind  (fear/anxiety)  as  a  cause  of   behavior  (like  an  antecedent  analysis)   •  According  to  ABA,  mentalism  halts  inquiry  into  causal  factors   •  Explanatory  fic&on  is  circular  reasoning  whereby  cause  &  effect  are  both   inferred  from  the  same  informa&on   –  “Jimmy  ripped  up  his  paper  because  he  was  afraid  it  was  not  perfect.”  (Circular   reasoning:  “It  wasn’t  perfect,  so  he  ripped  up  his  paper.”)   •  According  to  ABA,  feelings  do  not  cause  behavior,  but  can  be  explanatory   fic&ons  and  collateral  products.   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
75. Where  to  Begin  in  Interven&on   •  A  behavior  analyst  must  first  conduct  a  Func&onal   Behavior  Assessment  (FBA)  in  order  to  determine     the  func&on  of  the  maladap&ve  behavior   –  O;en  this  is  done  as  a  descrip&ve  assessment  (such  as  interview,   checklist,  or  Antecedent-­‐Behavior-­‐Consequence  Assessment)   –   a  structural  analysis   –   func&onal  analysis  (whereby  different  con&ngencies  of  reinforcement   are  set  up  to  test  what  maintains  the  targeted  behavior)   –  Primary  func&ons  for  maladap&ve  behavior  include:  aVen&on,  escape,   access  to  tangible  item/ac&vity,  &  automa&c  reinforcement  proper&es   (usually  driven  by  sensory-­‐seeking  behavior)   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
76. Behavioral  Goals  &  Objec&ves   ABA  Standards   • Should  address  observable  and  measurable  behaviors     • Should  specify  the  context  in  which  the  behaviors  are   targeted     • Should  establish  a  criterion   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
77. Using  What  We  Know     •  The  trick  is  to  establish  a  goal  for  the  child  using  ABA   standards,  while  also  incorpora&ng  what  we  know  of  the   weaknesses  &  strengths  of  the  child  and  offering  support  to   ensure  success  and  increase  mo&va&on…   Behavioral  goal:    Jimmy  will  work  on  an  outline,  with  a  project  planning  sheet  for  30   minutes,  siIng  in  his  seat,  without  destroying  materials.   The  ecological  behavior  change  strategy  of  reducing  the  noise  level  in  the  room  is   implemented.   The  antecedent  behavior  change  strategy  of  decreasing  the  response  effort  for  the  desired   behavior  is  in  effect.     Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
78. Behavioral  Interven&on  Strategies   •  Is  there  a  Behavioral  Interven&on  Plan  (BIP)   that  works  for  all  gi;ed  children  –  No!!!!   •  Given  the  commonali&es  between  gi;ed   children,  are  there  general  recommenda&ons/ strategies  that  have  been  found  as  useful?   Yes!!!   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
79.  Strategies  for  Social  Skills   Development   •  Social  interac&ons  can  o;en  be  hindered  by  a  gi;ed  child’s  symptoms  of   sensory  integra&on  disorder,  perfec&onism,  difficul&es  with  regula&ng   emo&onal  states,  and  lack  of  verbal  communica&on  skills.     Problem  1:  Child  consistently  changes  rules  of  game  to  accommodate  him/herself,  as  a  clever   manipula&on  in  order  to  “win”   Solu&on:  Inform  all  students  at  the  outset  of  the  game,  that  all  the  rules  must  be  shared  before  the  game   starts  and  that  the  rules  cannot  be  changed  a;er  the  game  has  begun.   I  can  s&ll  win  if  I  make  a     rule  that  kings  cannot     move  backwards!   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
80. Strategies  for  Social  Skills   Development   Problem  2:  Something  transpires  in  the  course  of  the  social  interac&on  that  is  unseVling  for  the  gi;ed   child,  and  it  appears  as  though  “out  of  nowhere”  the  child  starts  to  scream/cry.   Solu&on:                        1.  Walk  over  to  the  child                            2.  Offer  some  sort  of  comfort  or  praise                          3.    Acknowledge  his/her  feelings                          4.  Implement  Func&onal  Communica&on  Training  (FCT)   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
81. Strategies  for  Social  Skills   Development   Problem  3:  Child  refuses  to  play  games  peers’  choose  and  wants  them  to  play  what  he/she  decides  on   Solu&on:  Have  children  take  turns  choosing  2  games  to  present  to  the  group.  The  “picker”  gets  to  then   choose  1  of  the  2  op&ons  that  are  provided  by  the  child   Ok,  since  I’m  the   “picker,”  I  say  let’s   play  hide  &  seek!   Tim,  do  you  want   to  build  a  castle   and  be  knights  or   do  you  want  to   play  hide  &  seek?   Ok,  Tim,  then  I   get  to  pick  next   from  your   choices!   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
82. Strategies  for  Social  Skills   Development    Problem  4:  A  peer  asks  the  gi;ed  child  to  do  something  or  stop  an  ac&on  and  the  gi;ed  child  is  not    responding  to  the  request.  The  peer  is  now  becoming  agitated.    Solu&on:  1.  Offer  a  verbal  prompt                    2.  If  the  child  s&ll  has  not  responded  to  the  request  in  any  way,  implement  response  blocking                  3.  Ask  the  child  if  he/she  heard  the  request.  Then,  encourage  follow-­‐though  on  the  request  or                          verbal  communica&on  regarding  it.   Tim,  won’t   listen  &   play  with   me!   Cool!  I’ve   bounced  it  52   &mes   already!   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
83. References   •  Dawson,  P.,  &  Guare,  R.  (2004).  Execu&ve  skills  in  children  and  adolescents.  New   York:  Guilford  Press.   •  Nicpon,  M.  F.  (2006).  Tips  for  Parents:  ADHD  and  gi;edness:  What  do  parents  need   to  know?  [Electronic  version],  Retrieved  February  10,  2012  from  the  Davidson   Ins&tute  for  Talent  Development  at:   hVp://www.davidsongi;ed.org/db/Ar&cles_id_10386.aspx   •  Piazza,  C.  C.,  Fisher,  W.  W.,  Hanley,  G.  P.,Remick,  M.  L.,  Contruccio,  S.  A.,and  Aitken,   T.  L.  (1997).  The  use  of  posi&ve  and    nega&ve  reinforcement  in  the  treatment  of   escape-­‐maintained  destruc&ve  behavior.  Journal  of  Applied  Behavior  Analysis,30,   279-­‐298.   •  Pyryt,  M.  (2004).  Helping  gi;ed  students  cope  with  perfec&onism  [Electronic   version],  Retrieved  June  14,  2012,  from  the  Davidson  ins&tute    for  talent   Development  at:       hVp://www.davidsongi;ed.org/db/Ar&cles_print_id_10459.aspx   •  Rimm,  S.  (2006).  Listening  for  what  gi;ed  children  don’t  say.  [Electronic  version],   Retrieved  February  10,  2012,  from  the  Digest  of  Gi9ed  Research  at:  hVp:// www.&p.duke.edu/node/868   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.  
84. Barbara  Joffe,  M.A.   Special  Educator   Meyer  et  al,  Suppor&ng  the  Emo&onal  Needs  of  the  Gi;ed  (SENG)  Annual  Conference,  Milwaukee,  WI,  July  2012.