Sensory sensitivities of gifted children

• Published in: The American journal of occupational therapy Vol. 63; no. 3; pp. 288 - 295
• Main Authors: Gere, Douglas R, Capps, Steve C, Mitchell, D Wayne, Grubbs, Erin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Occupational Therapy Association 01.05.2009
• Subjects: Child; Child Behavior; Child, Gifted - psychology; Children; Elementary schools; Emotions; Gifted children; Gifted students; Health aspects; Humans; Intellect; Intelligence; Intelligence levels; Parent-Child Relations; Personality Assessment; Physiological aspects; Problem Solving; Psychological aspects; Sensation; Sensitivity; Sensory stimulation; Social Adjustment; United States
• ISSN: 0272-9490; 1943-7676
• DOI: 10.5014/ajot.63.3.288

Gifted children often display sensitivities to their environment that vary from those of the general population. Data were gathered on 6- to 11-year-old gifted children attending a public elementary school gifted program. Parents completed Dunn's (1999) Sensory Profile questionnaire regarding their child. Two primary analyses were conducted: (1) a comparison of the gifted children's sensory sensitivity with Sensory Profile norms and (2) an examination of the internal consistency of the Sensory Profile for the gifted sample. Gifted children were more sensitive to their environment and reacted with heightened emotional and behavioral responses than did children of average intelligence. Internal consistencies for the 14 Sensory Profile sections and the Sensory Profile factors for the gifted sample were found to be equal to the reported norms of the Sensory Profile. These findings further support that gifted children may have important sensory modulation differences and add to our understanding of gifted children.