Content uploaded by Nanda Rommelse
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Nanda Rommelse on Oct 02, 2019
Content may be subject to copyright.
High intelligence and the risk of ADHD and other psychopathology
Abstract
Background
High intelligence may be associated with positive (adaptive, desired) outcomes, but may also come with disadvantages.AimsTo contribute empirically to the debate concerning whether a trade-off in IQ scores exists in relation to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and related problems, suggesting that high intelligence - like low intelligence - increases the risk of ADHD.Method
Curves of the relation between IQ score and ADHD problems were fitted to questionnaire data (parent, teacher, self-report) in a population-based study of 2221 children and adolescents aged 10-12 years. Externalising and internalising problems were included for comparison purposes.ResultsHigher IQ score was most strongly related to fewer attention problems, with more rater discrepancy in the high v. average IQ range. Attention problems - but only minimally hyperactivity/impulsivity problems - predicted functional impairment at school, also in the higher IQ range.Conclusions
Attention problems in highly intelligent children are exceptional and affect school performance; they are therefore a reason for clinical concern.
... Some evidence shows that high intellectual abilities could actually increase the risk of developing psychopathological conditions (4)(5)(6)(7), including ADHD and its related characteristics (8,9). Some scholars have proposed that having an average level of intelligence may represent a balance between the advantages and disadvantages of genetic predispositions from an evolutionary perspective (10,11). Thus, it raises the possibility that there may be a U-shaped correlation between IQ and ADHD symptoms, suggesting that both extremely high and low IQ levels could worsen the severity of ADHD symptoms. ...
... The small sample sizes and limited age ranges also have hindered the ability to accurately determine the correlation between IQ and ADHD symptoms. Despite some large-scale studies have been conducted, they predominantly focused on the general population when exploring the relationship between IQ and ADHD symptoms (11), which may not accurately represent those affected by ADHD. In addition, previous studies have often lacked standardized IQ assessments: some only selected participants from programs for highly intelligent children or based on teacher recommendations. ...
... The diagnostic criteria for ADHD necessitate that symptoms impact functional (21) abilities. Previous research has linked higher IQ to less functional impairment (11,22). The intricate interplay between IQ and symptom manifestation may implies that individuals may experience distinct patterns of functional impairment in pro les of varying IQ levels. ...
Background Intelligence quotient (IQ) has traditionally been considered a protective factor against attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, recent findings suggest a more complex relationship. This study aimed to elucidate the nuanced associations between IQ and ADHD. We leveraged a high-quality, multi-dimensional dataset encompassing behavioural, cognitive, and neuroimaging measures from a large ADHD cohort to investigate these relationships comprehensively. Methods We conducted a study with 5,138 children, aged 6–16 years, who have been professionally diagnosed with ADHD and have a wide range of IQ levels. General Linear Models were used to fit the relationship between IQ [Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ), Verbal IQ (VIQ), and Performance IQ (PIQ)] and ADHD core symptoms [total scores (TO), inattention (IA), hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI)] while considering sex and age as covariates. Furthermore, we examined if the complex associations between IQ and ADHD symptoms could be validated in executive functions and brain structure associated with ADHD. Finally, Latent class analysis was used to identify IQ and symptomatic characteristics in profiles of functional impairment of ADHD. Results Consistent with previous research, our study demonstrated a linear negative correlation between FSIQ and ADHD core symptoms. However, PIQ exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship with HI scores, peaking at a PIQ of 103. These findings were partially corroborated in the relationships between IQ and executive functions, as well as IQ and brain surface area. Latent profile analysis identified three distinct ADHD profiles: Mild Impairment, Severe Academic Deficit, and Social-Academic Deficit. Notably, while higher IQ was associated with less impairment in academic performance, it did not consistently predict social functional impairment. Paradoxically, the group with the least overall impairment exhibited the highest levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms. Conclusion This study elucidates the intricate relationship between IQ and ADHD, revealing that elevated Performance IQ is associated with increased hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms, while higher symptom levels may not always indicate worse outcomes.
... Some research found that teachers' ratings of ADHD symptoms among gifted pupils were higher than for non-gifted pupils. In contrast, others have found teachers to rate gifted children with lower levels of hyperactivity and attention problems than their parents [5,24,46,55]. ...
... Interestingly, teachers' referral decisions have been found to be affected by the child's general ability. As mentioned above, teachers have been found to rate gifted children as showing fewer hyperactivity and attention problems than children with lower IQ [46,55]. Rommelse et al. [46] interpreted these findings to indicate that teachers attributed less severity to ADHD symptoms exhibited by gifted children. ...
... As mentioned above, teachers have been found to rate gifted children as showing fewer hyperactivity and attention problems than children with lower IQ [46,55]. Rommelse et al. [46] interpreted these findings to indicate that teachers attributed less severity to ADHD symptoms exhibited by gifted children. This body of research might explain Mullet & Rinn's [34] findings that gifted pupils with ADHD tend to be identified later. ...
The present study examined the effect of ADHD-related traits, academic-achievement level, and giftedness label on elementary school teachers’ and counselors’ referral recommendations for assessment. 532 teachers and counselors were presented with one of 12 vignettes describing a hypothetical pupil. Participants were asked to report the likelihood they would refer the pupil for ADHD diagnosis and address them during a high-level interdisciplinary school-team meeting (HISTM). High ADHD-related traits (effect size 0.359) and low academic-achievement (effect size 0.070) and their interaction were significantly related to a higher likelihood of referral. Further analysis revealed that lower academic achievement was related to a higher likelihood of referral only when ADHD-related traits were not indicated (p < .005). The status of giftedness label was not found to be significant (p > .05). These findings indicate that mainly ADHD-related traits and, to a lesser degree, low academic-achievement influence teachers’ decisions to refer pupils for ADHD diagnosis and address them in HISTM.
... Some research found that teachers ratings of ADHD symptoms among gifted pupils was higher than for none-gifted pupils. While others have found teachers to rate gifted children with lower levels of hyperactivity and attention problems than their parents (Cadenas et al., 2020;Lee, & Olenchak, 2015;Rommelse et al., 2017;Tordjman et al., 2007). ...
... Interestingly, teacher's referral decisions have been found to be affected by the child's general ability. As mentioned above, teachers have been found to rate gifted children to show fewer hyperactivity and attention problems symptoms compared to children with lower IQ (Rommelse et al., 2017;Tordjman et al., 2007). Rommelse et al. (2017) interpreted these findings as to indicat that teachers attributed less severity to ADHD symptoms exhibited by gifted children. ...
... As mentioned above, teachers have been found to rate gifted children to show fewer hyperactivity and attention problems symptoms compared to children with lower IQ (Rommelse et al., 2017;Tordjman et al., 2007). Rommelse et al. (2017) interpreted these findings as to indicat that teachers attributed less severity to ADHD symptoms exhibited by gifted children. This body of research might explain Mullet & Rinn's (2015) findings that gifted pupils with ADHD tend to be identified later. ...
The present study examined the effect of ADHD-related traits, academic-achievement level, and giftedness label on elementary school teachers’ and counselors’ referral recommendations for assessment. 532 teachers and counselors were presented with one of 12 vignettes describing a hypothetical pupil. Participants were asked to report the likelihood they would refer the pupil for ADHD diagnosis and address them during a high-level interdisciplinary school-team meeting (HISTM). High ADHD-related traits (effect size 0.359) and low academic-achievement (effect size 0.070) and their interaction were significantly related to higher likelihood of referral. Further analysis revealed that lower academic achievement was related to higher likelihood of referral only when ADHD-related traits were not indicated (p < .005). Status of giftedness label was not found to be significant (p > .05). These findings indicate that mainly ADHD-related traits and to a lesser degree low academic-achievement, influence teachers' decisions to refer pupils for ADHD diagnosis and address them in HISTM.
... For instance, high IQ has been correlated with improved regulation of behavior, cognition, and emotions, as well as enhanced outcomes across various domains such as academics, education, vocational pursuits, physical health, and mental well-being (Plomin & Deary, 2014). In a population-based study encompassing 2,221 participants, Rommelse et al. (2017) observed that 39 children with high IQs (>130) exhibited fewer symptoms associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), along with fewer externalizing and internalizing problems when compared with their peers. In addition, in a prospective cohort study tracking 1,207 children from ages 5 to 11, Cook et al. (2020) noted that children with high IQs (>120) experienced fewer mental health challenges than their peers at all assessed time points. ...
... However, several studies have also reported similar or fewer emotional and behavioral problems in GC compared with their peers (Eklund et al., 2015;Fouladchang et al., 2010;França-Freitas et al., 2014;Rommelse et al., 2017;Valadez et al., 2020;Zeidner & Shani-Zinovich, 2011). For instance, Rommelse et al. (2017) found that high IQ scores correlated with lower levels of hyperactivity-impulsivity and behavioral problems, as reported by teachers. ...
... However, several studies have also reported similar or fewer emotional and behavioral problems in GC compared with their peers (Eklund et al., 2015;Fouladchang et al., 2010;França-Freitas et al., 2014;Rommelse et al., 2017;Valadez et al., 2020;Zeidner & Shani-Zinovich, 2011). For instance, Rommelse et al. (2017) found that high IQ scores correlated with lower levels of hyperactivity-impulsivity and behavioral problems, as reported by teachers. Zeidner and Shani-Zinovich (2011) compared gifted high school students with their peers and found that gifted adolescents had high scores in openness to innovation and low scores in neuroticism as well as lower levels of state anxiety. ...
This study examined the prevalence and correlates of psychopathology in gifted children (GC) and explored whether giftedness confers protection or risk for mental health problems. We used a comparative design to analyze a population-based sample of 100 GC and 100 controls matched by age and sex in Turkey. We assessed psychiatric diagnoses with the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA), a valid diagnostic tool for child and adolescent mental health, and measured resilience and temperament with standardized scales. GC and controls did not differ significantly in the frequency of psychiatric disorders. However, GC showed lower resilience and higher negative reactivity and activity than controls. Negative reactivity was a significant predictor of psychopathology in GC. Sex did not moderate the effects of giftedness on mental health outcomes, resilience, or temperament. Our findings suggest that GC may have increased vulnerability to stress and reduced coping skills. We highlight the need to identify and support GCs who experience mental health problems and face psychological challenges. Our results emphasize the importance of early intervention and prevention to enhance resilience and well-being in this population. Future research should investigate the underlying mechanisms and develop tailored strategies to support the mental health and well-being of GC.
... Higher education offers a higher level of abstraction and poses high demands on organisational and executive skills, as well as self-directed learning skills. When challenges increase, such as living away from a structured home-environment and increasing organisational skills, NPD symptoms can worsen, and significant impairment start to emerge [23], [24]. In many aspects NPDs mean invisible and marginalised disabilities, and when students' pedagogical needs are not met by teachers and the organisation, this may enforce a vast impact on the completion of higher education [25]. ...
To make higher education accessible for all students and to enable inclusive learning, teachers face high demands in pedagogic knowledge and skills. This assumes knowledge of students with neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs) as well as specific skills on how to implement suitable pedagogical adaptations. Applicable pedagogic adaptations to this growing student group have also been shown to be beneficial for larger general student populations. However, teachers often indicate difficulties finding and executing adequate pedagogical approaches. There are also knowledge gaps regarding how teachers adapt and accommodate their education and what kind of support they need. The study was designed in two phases: in the first phase the aims were to explore (a) teachers' knowledge of students with NPDs, and (b) teachers' need of support to implement suitable pedagogical adaptations. The aim of the second phase is to develop a digital technological support system for teachers to be used for hands-on inclusive learning skills. This study was conducted with an action research approach where two of the authors also have been teachers in some of the investigated courses. A questionnaire was constructed and distributed to teachers within various subjects at a Swedish university, targeting their experiences and needs in educational practice with students with NPDs. The questionnaire involved a combination of background items and open-ended items. Experiences and needs were analysed with reflexive thematic analysis. The questionnaire was the first step in a process of developing a digital technological support system for teachers, based on specific gaps of knowledge and their need for support. 85 out of 260 teachers responded to the survey; 68 % of respondents were women. 42 % were senior lecturing staff, 49 % junior staff and 9% PhD students. 57% reported that they had not sufficient knowledge about students with NPDs. Teachers described various pedagogical knowledge for accommodating students with NPDs, including universal, individual and relational strategies. Examples were to increase clarity and predictability in all educational efforts, being prepared to flexibly adapt to student needs including increasing teacher availability and strengthening the relation by creating trust and safe communication. Teachers also described their own needs of in-depth knowledge, hands-on guidance, expert advice, and common solutions/discussions with colleagues. They also saw the need for improved organisational structures and support. The findings indicate that despite university teachers being aware of different pedagogical strategies, they still need to develop their knowledge. The knowledge gained from this study will be used as the foundation for development of a digital technological support system for teachers, which can be motivated from three perspectives: to strengthen teachers' knowledge and skills; to strengthen students' opportunities to participate in higher education; and to enable the organisation to evaluate and reassure their commitments regulated by laws or regulations. Future research in line with this study may be to implement an artificial intelligence (AI) tool in the digital technological support system.
... The cognitive deficits of ADHD children are an important cause of academic and other social functional defects. WISC-IV is a new type of intelligence measurement tool that emphasizes the measurement of individual cognitive abilities and pays attention to the measurement of working memory and processing speed, making the general cognitive ability transform into a highperformance execution process on the test task and is more targeted for the assessment of learning disabilities [9].ADHD children have attention deficits and poor control and inhibition of behavior. Some studies have shown that training the working memory ability of ADHD children can significantly improve their response inhibition, reasoning, and hyperactivity. ...
In China, 3% of preschool children suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with a male-to-female ratio of 5:1. ADHD is a prevalent behavioral disorder in children. Intelligence in these affected children is normal or normal; however, they exhibit deficiencies in learning, behavior, and emotional aspects. These children face challenges in interpersonal relationships both at home and in preschool settings, leaving parents and teachers feeling helpless. This paper navigates the complex relationship between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and intelligence, amidst a backdrop of varied scientific findings. Through a systematic review of a decade's peer-reviewed literature, the study scrutinizes empirical research involving diverse demographic samples and quantitative ADHD and IQ measures. Findings reveal a multifaceted relationship between ADHD and intelligence, influenced by various factors including potential comorbidities. The study underscores the importance of a holistic approach in ADHD intelligence assessments, considering both cognitive strengths and challenges. The implications of this research are twofold: it guides the development of personalized interventions for individuals with ADHD and highlights the necessity for further exploration into the ADHD-IQ relationship and its implications for cognitive functioning and long-term outcomes. Developing a more comprehensive understanding of ADHD, this paper moves beyond the limitations of traditional IQ metrics to encompass a wider range of cognitive skills and strengths. This paper aims to provide recommendations and implement effective measures for children exhibiting disruptive behaviors, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The focus is on assisting these children to facilitate their healthy development.
This qualitative study explores the interactions among gifted students’ vulnerabilities, stressors, supports, and coping mechanisms at a public, high-achieving residential high school. Qualitative interviews (n = 12) revealed that teachers caused stress by (a) failing to provide academic challenges and/or (b) failing to support students’ diverse identities; conversely, teachers provided support when they were available, enthusiastic, and understanding. Further, peers added stress through class rank competition but fostered support through accepting diverse identities and building friendships. In general, students heavily relied on problem-focused coping to address academic stress (e.g., changing schools, advocacy), yet had minimal adaptative coping strategies to address social stress. Students also discussed hybrid coping approaches, like extracurriculars and counseling. These findings suggest that interventions, such as teacher training and peer support programs, should address specific vulnerabilities, including diverse identities, and provide direct instruction in developing coping strategies to address social stressors.
: This study provides a comprehensive review of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), discussing its historical background, prevalence, symptoms, subtypes, comorbidities, and treatment options. ADHD, characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, affects an estimated 5 - 10% of children and 4% of adults worldwide, with a higher diagnosis rate in boys. However, underdiagnosis in girls due to less overt symptoms is a growing concern. The study begins with the case of a girl diagnosed with ADHD, using her experiences to highlight the specific challenges faced by individuals with high cognitive functioning ADHD. This case serves as an entry point to examine how ADHD impacts those who, despite intellectual or academic strengths, struggle with focus, organization, and impulse control. These insights are further explored through the perspective of a veterinary student managing ADHD, offering a unique view on how the disorder interacts with high academic and professional demands. The review examines the various subtypes of ADHD—predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined—and discusses common comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, and sleep disorders. Current treatment approaches, including behavioral interventions, pharmacotherapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy, are evaluated for their effectiveness in managing ADHD symptoms. A key theme of this study is the importance of societal awareness in reducing stigma, which can facilitate early diagnosis and access to appropriate treatment. The findings emphasize the need for individualized, holistic approaches to care that address the unique needs and strengths of each person with ADHD. Early intervention and a personalized treatment plan can significantly improve outcomes, leading to better academic performance, emotional regulation, and overall quality of life for individuals with ADHD.
The current research was done to develop a model of attention deficit based on the components of emotions and thought with the mediation of the analytical intelligence of teenagers. This research used a descriptive method of correlation type using structural equation modeling methods. The statistical sample included 375 students of the first secondary school with signs of attention deficit in Tehran in the academic year of 2001-2002, who were selected in a available way. Three questionnaires include adult ADHD self-report scale (ASRS), Kazemi Haghighi Emotion Thought Questionnaire and Kettle Intelligence Questionnaire Result 3-Form A (KIT:A), were completed by the samples. In addition to descriptive statistics, the structural equation method was used for data analysis using Amos-26 software. The findings showed that thought excitement and analytical intelligence were significantly related to attention deficit symptoms. According to the findings, it can be concluded that some characteristics, such as the excitement of thought and analytical intelligence, can predict the signs of attention deficit (p<0.01). From the research findings, it can be concluded that in the diagnosis and treatment process of attention deficit, the variables of emotion, thought, and analytical intelligence is very important. Thus, the increase in attention deficit is associated with a decrease in the score of thought excitement and analytical intelligence.
Keywords
attention deficit adolescent intelligence analytical intelligence thought excitement
Objectives: This review aims to present recent innovations and advancements in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) care, encompassing international consensus statement, new medication formulations, digital therapeutics, and neurostimulation devices. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of relevant articles published in the past five years was conducted, emphasizing the evidence base, efficacy, safety, and practical implications of these advancements. Results: The World Federation of ADHD Consensus Statement offers an updated diagnostic and treatment framework rooted in global scientific evidence. There are several newer ADHD medication formulations, including a nonstimulant (Viloxazine extended release) and the first transdermal amphetamine patch approved to treat ADHD. These options offer some unique benefits to personalize treatment based on symptom profile, lifestyle, preferences, and response. Digital tools offer additional means to restructure environments for individuals with ADHD, reducing impairment and reliance on others. In addition, digital therapeutics enhance access, affordability, personalization, and feasibility of ADHD care, complementing or augmenting existing interventions. Trigeminal nerve stimulation emerges as a well-tolerated nonpharmacological, device-based treatment for pediatric ADHD, with initial trials indicating effect sizes comparable to nonstimulant medications. Conclusions: These innovations in ADHD care represent clinically significant new treatment options and opportunities for personalized care. Health care professionals should integrate these developments into clinical practice, mindful of individual patient and family needs and preferences. Future research should assess long-term outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and acceptability of these innovations.
Objective: To evaluate and compare the performance of adults with ADHD with high and standard IQ in executive functions (EF) tasks. Method: We investigated the neuropsychological performance of 51 adults with ADHD, compared with 33 healthy controls (HC) while performing a wide battery of neuropsychological tests that measure executive functioning. Adults with clinical diagnosis of ADHD were divided into two groups according to their IQ level (IQ ≥ 110—ADHD group with more elevated IQ, and IQ < 110—ADHD group with standard IQ). Results: The ADHD group with standard IQ presented a worse executive functioning compared with the HC group in the following measures: Stroop 2 (p = .000) and 3 (p = .000), Trail Making Test (TMT) B (p = .005), Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST)—perseverative errors (p = .022) and failures to maintain set (p = .020), Continuous Performance Test (CPT)—omission errors (p = .005) and commission errors (p = .000), and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB)—conceptualization (p = .016). The ADHD group with more elevated IQ presented only impairments in the CPT—commission errors (p = .019) when compared with the control group. Conclusion: Adults with ADHD and more elevated IQ show less evidence of executive functioning deficits compared with those with ADHD and standard IQ, suggesting that a higher degree of intellectual efficiency may compensate deficits in executive functions, leading to problems in establishing a precise clinical diagnosis.
Intelligence is a core construct in differential psychology and behavioural genetics, and should be so in cognitive neuroscience. It is one of the best predictors of important life outcomes such as education, occupation, mental and physical health and illness, and mortality. Intelligence is one of the most heritable behavioural traits. Here, we highlight five genetic findings that are special to intelligence differences and that have important implications for its genetic architecture and for gene-hunting expeditions. (i) The heritability of intelligence increases from about 20% in infancy to perhaps 80% in later adulthood. (ii) Intelligence captures genetic effects on diverse cognitive and learning abilities, which correlate phenotypically about 0.30 on average but correlate genetically about 0.60 or higher. (iii) Assortative mating is greater for intelligence (spouse correlations ~0.40) than for other behavioural traits such as personality and psychopathology (~0.10) or physical traits such as height and weight (~0.20). Assortative mating pumps additive genetic variance into the population every generation, contributing to the high narrow heritability (additive genetic variance) of intelligence. (iv) Unlike psychiatric disorders, intelligence is normally distributed with a positive end of exceptional performance that is a model for 'positive genetics'. (v) Intelligence is associated with education and social class and broadens the causal perspectives on how these three inter-correlated variables contribute to social mobility, and health, illness and mortality differences. These five findings arose primarily from twin studies. They are being confirmed by the first new quantitative genetic technique in a century-Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA)-which estimates genetic influence using genome-wide genotypes in large samples of unrelated individuals. Comparing GCTA results to the results of twin studies reveals important insights into the genetic architecture of intelligence that are relevant to attempts to narrow the 'missing heritability' gap.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 16 September 2014; doi:10.1038/mp.2014.105.
This study examines the relationship among giftedness, gender, and overexcitability. Previous studies examining these relationships were based on an open-ended questionnaire and small samples. This study uses a new self-rating questionnaire to assess overexcitabilities, the Overexcitability Questionnaire II, and findings are based on a large sample of 562 university students. Giftedness was measured by a student's participation in either a gifted, advanced, or standard curriculum program. Results show that previous findings on the relationship between giftedness and overexcitability can be confirmed; gifted students scored significantly higher on intellectual and emotional overexcitability than students in either of the other two programs. Further, males scored higher overall on intellectual, imaginational, and psychomotor overexcitability, while females scored higher on emotional and sensual overexcitability.
Forty-five gifted students and 45 regular education students without identified exceptionalities were rated by teachers and administrators on the Clinical Assessment of Behavior (CAB), a third-party behavior rating scale that rates students' adaptive and behavior problems. The gifted students in this study were rated significantly higher on three adaptive behavioral scales/clusters: Competence, Executive Function, and Gifted and Talented. In addition, the gifted students were rated significantly lower on several clinical scales/clusters, including Anxiety, Depression, Attention Deficit, Learning Disability, Autistic Spectrum, Mental Retardation, as well as the total scale score. The results indicated that gifted and talented students displayed overall better behavioral adjustment than their regular education peers and that the CAB may be useful as part of the identification process for gifted and talented students.
The common approach to the multiplicity problem calls for controlling the familywise error rate (FWER). This approach, though, has faults, and we point out a few. A different approach to problems of multiple significance testing is presented. It calls for controlling the expected proportion of falsely rejected hypotheses — the false discovery rate. This error rate is equivalent to the FWER when all hypotheses are true but is smaller otherwise. Therefore, in problems where the control of the false discovery rate rather than that of the FWER is desired, there is potential for a gain in power. A simple sequential Bonferronitype procedure is proved to control the false discovery rate for independent test statistics, and a simulation study shows that the gain in power is substantial. The use of the new procedure and the appropriateness of the criterion are illustrated with examples.
The validity of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in individuals with high intelligence is disputed, since high intelligence may 'mimic' the symptoms of ADHD in the absence of the specific pathophysiological pathways for ADHD. Conversely, increased risk of a missed ADHD diagnosis may occur due to compensatory strategies in the highly intelligent individual. A systematic literature review was performed including cognitive and behavioral studies, addressing a specific set of criteria for validating ADHD in the context of high intelligence. Albeit limited in number, available results suggest that ADHD is a valid construct in the context of high intelligence, showing characteristic clinical features (except possibly for hyperactivity being a less specific pathology marker), course and outcome and a characteristic response to treatment. Importantly, ADHD and IQ are negatively correlated on nearly all phenotypic and cognitive constructs, underlining the need for taking IQ into account as potential moderator in ADHD studies and more systematically studying ADHD in the high intelligent population.
Background:
Schizophrenia is associated with lower intelligence and poor educational performance relative to the general population. This is, to a lesser degree, also found in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients. It is unclear whether bipolar disorder I (BD-I) patients and their relatives have similar lower intellectual and educational performance as that observed in schizophrenia.
Method:
This cross-sectional study investigated intelligence and educational performance in two outpatient samples [494 BD-I patients, 952 schizophrenia spectrum (SCZ) patients], 2231 relatives of BD-I and SCZ patients, 1104 healthy controls and 100 control siblings. Mixed-effects and regression models were used to compare groups on intelligence and educational performance.
Results:
BD-I patients were more likely to have completed the highest level of education (odds ratio 1.88, 95% confidence interval 1.66-2.70) despite having a lower IQ compared to controls (β = -9.09, s.e. = 1.27, p < 0.001). In contrast, SCZ patients showed both a lower IQ (β = -15.31, s.e. = 0.86, p < 0.001) and lower educational levels compared to controls. Siblings of both patient groups had significantly lower IQ than control siblings, but did not differ on educational performance. IQ scores did not differ between BD-I parents and SCZ parents, but BD-I parents had completed higher educational levels.
Conclusions:
Although BD-I patients had a lower IQ than controls, they were more likely to have completed the highest level of education. This contrasts with SCZ patients, who showed both intellectual and educational deficits compared to healthy controls. Since relatives of BD-I patients did not demonstrate superior educational performance, our data suggest that high educational performance may be a distinctive feature of bipolar disorder patients.
This paper reviews the current literature on twice-exceptional students who are dual diagnosed as having giftedness and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This area of research is warranted because giftedness and ADHD present similarly but have different ramifications for performance and outcomes. In addition, research inquiry and intervention can ease the frustration of those individuals who have both of these strengths and weaknesses. Giftedness and ADHD are examined in terms of identification of individual and dual diagnoses; performance of gifted students with ADHD, including underachievement and creativity; psychosocial outcomes; and interventions for students with giftedness/ADHD. Gaps in the literature and future directions are discussed.
This study compared the emotional and behavioural adjustment of a group of 33 intellectually gifted adolescents with a matched group of 25 adolescents of average ability, using the Behaviour Assessment System for Children. It is the first study to comprehensively examine the psychological adjustment of intellectually gifted adolescents using both multi-informant ratings and multi-dimensional, co-normed instruments. Parent ratings indicated that the intellectually gifted adolescents showed lower levels of problem behaviour than their peers of average ability. Teacher ratings indicated no significant differences between the two groups. Adolescent self-reports showed no difference on a global measure of emotional adjustment. However, intellectually gifted adolescents reported significantly fewer depressive symptoms, a better attitude towards teachers, greater self-reliance and a greater sense of adequacy.