Twice exceptional with ADHD: Characteristics and challengesPaper
Author(s): Andrée Therrien
Many gifted children are recognized as having neurobiological problems that interfere with academic, home, and social/emotional functioning. These twice-exceptional (2e) children with ADHD struggle to actualise their full potential because of an inefficient neurobiological system. They usually show difficulties in one or more cognitive areas, rather than affecting all intellectual abilities.
They will show a heterogeneous cognitive profile. They are often overlooked because: 1) their strengths outweigh their ADHD difficulties, 2) their weakness outweighs their giftedness or 3) their strengths and weakness cancel each other and they just don’t get identified as gifted or as having ADHD. Without appropriate identifications, they don’t get adapted services. As a result, they sometimes become ‘’trice-exceptional’ where anxiety, depression, underachievement, frustration etc. occurs. Thus, it is important to know how to identify gifted and talented students with ADHD because these children have real challenges that require real accommodations.
Andrée Therrien, psychologist from Quebec, Canada. Canadian delegate of the World Council, member of the Asian-Pacific Federation on Giftedness, of the European Council for High Ability and of the Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance.
Speaker at the 22nd and 23rd Biennial Conference (WCGTC), 3rd and 4th International Conference (MIB), 13th and 15th National Conference (CADDRA), 15th Conference (APFG), 1st Thematic conference (ECHA), 16th Conference (ICIE), and the 6th Biennial conference (IRATDE).