Depressive Disorder in Gifted Children
Marissa Lauria
Research argues that gifted children are no less likely to suffer from depression than any other child. The same things that could cause an average child to become depressed could cause a gifted child to be depressed. However, research does support that gifted children are likely to become depressed for reasons that may not affect the average child. There is a general agreement that the term depression can refer to mood itself or to a combination of affective, cognitive, psychomotor and vegetative dysfunctions that usually affect eating and sleeping habits (Jackson, 2004). Depression is a condition that can make an impact on mental and emotional states as well as physical.
Common Traits of Gifted Children
Common personality traits of gifted children are thought to leave them susceptible to the risks of depression. Gifted children have a strong tendency toward psychological introversion (Jackson, 1995; Silverman 1992, 1993). Traits involved with introversion for children characterizes them as embracing intellectual activity, emotions, sensations and concept formation. They have a tendency to process information and sensations internally, their less immediate communicative style may contribute to social awkwardness and isolation (Dauber & Benbow, 1990).
Many researchers have proposed that some of the advanced intellectual abilities and cognitive functioning of gifted children can lead to high levels of stress. Advanced cognitive functioning leads to imposing critical judgments and high standards on oneself and others. Intellectual abilities incline gifted youth to affiliate themselves with older individuals, resulting to greater exposure to adult conflicts and problems (Neihart; Reis; Robinson; Moon, 2001). This exposure may be an additional source of stress that the average child does not experience. This can lead to feelings of frustration, powerlessness and being helpless to change the situation.
There are also other common traits of a gifted child that may lead them to be at a higher risk for depression. One of these factors is known as perfectionism, it is an unhealthy and neurotic need to avoid failure. These students often struggle with making realistic goals and reasonable commitments. In its negative form, perfectionism is associated in clinical literature on general populations with a wide range of medical and emotional problems, including depression and suicide (Adkins & Parker, 1996; Blatt, 1995; Callahan, 1993; Hewitt, Flett & Ediger, 1996; Parker 2000). Pressure to perform at high standards combined with feelings of inadequacy may contribute to these fears of failure. These children often struggle with making realistic goals and reasonable commitments. They do not understand that there is a fine line between striving for excellence having an intense need to succeed.
Heightened emotional sensitivity is another feature of gifted children, they may suffer more from social injustices, personal losses and perceived rejections. These adolescents may have stronger, deeper, and more enduring reactions to stimuli than their aged peers (Dabrowski, 1967; Roedell, 1984; Silverman, 1984). Psychiatrist Kazimierz Dabrowski labeled these reactions as over-excitabilities. This can mean their mental activity, reactions and expressions are beyond common and average. Gifted children may experience high levels of frustration or concern when they are intellectually capable of understanding the nature and severity of personal and global injustices, yet feel powerless to act toward them (Gross, 1993).
Research is attempting to expose environmental stressors that can cause particular psychological reactions, leading to biochemical changes that are at the core of depressive disorder (Cytryn & McKnew, 1998). It cannot be stressed enough how important it is that gifted individuals be placed in an environment amongst their peers where there can get the proper support, stimulation and educational services. Students who are not in the proper educational environment are likely to be alienated by peers, being called names or bullied. This can lead to social isolation, it has been speculated that this may increase a gifted child’s risk for depression and suicide. It seems to be more of a problem for gifted children under the age of 10 who have less mobility to access intellectual peers (Neihart; Reis; Robinson; Moon, 2001).
Early research also adds the temperament of the gifted child to this list, temperament accounts for the child’s activity level, adaptability, threshold of responsiveness, intensity of reaction, mood quality, distractibility, attention span, and persistence. Children who have difficulty with transitions and change, exhibit exceptionally intense emotional reactions and are found to be at higher risk for behavioral disorders in childhood (Lerner, 1984).
One common type of depression that is known to affect gifted individuals is existential depression. Existential depression occurs when one confronts issues of existence such as life, death, disease, and freedom. Gifted children can experience existential depression as young as the age of five. They may begin to worry about death and also question the meaning of life. This type of depression ties in with their heightened sensitivity, these children may have strong concerns of death and dying, anxieties, fears, guilt, depression, suicidal moods, loneliness and feelings of inferiority.
Identifying Signs of Depression
According to psychologist Maureen Neihart, as many as 10 percent of children suffer from depression before age 12. Rates of depression are higher now than they have ever been, and they are expected to continue to increase. Also, the onset of depression is occurring at younger ages than ever before. This is why it’s important for parents and teachers of these children to be aware of the common signs and symptoms.
The severity, type, frequency, number and duration of symptoms depends on whether a particular condition meets clinical diagnostic criteria. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) published by the American Psychiatric Association, the individual must report either a depressed mood or a severe loss of interest and enjoyment in most activities. One or both of these feelings should be experienced most of the time for two weeks. Along with the fundamental feelings of depression and loss of interest, the individual should also report experiencing four symptoms from among the following: Significant increase or decrease in appetite or weight, increased or decreased sleep, physical restlessness or inertia, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, inability to concentrate or make a decision and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. These symptoms should cause interference in their ability to maintain relationships and carry out daily activities.
Depressive states have been categorized into two groups, mild and major. The primary symptom of both is disturbance in mood and the distinction between the two is matter of degree (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). A sad or depressed mood and loss of interest in usual activities or pleasures is signs of major depression. An individual may also experience excessive sadness or irritability, difficulty falling and staying asleep, excessive sleeping, low self-esteem, loss of energy, and difficulty in concentrating. Physical signs may include increased or decreased appetite following weight gain or loss. Individuals suffering from major depression may report recurring thoughts and images of death and suicide (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).
Depression at any age can be the result of social and biological factors, as stated earlier when gifted children do not have access to like-minded peers, accelerated school programs, and appropriate learning experiences it is clear that this may put them at risk for depression. These children can show signs of depression at early ages. Indicators of depression in young people include frequent headaches or stomachaches; outbursts of crying, complaining, shouting, extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure, recklessness and underachievement (Neihart, M. 2002). The signs at these young ages may also be subtle, they can include social withdrawal, acting out behaviors, and acute intellectualization.
Clinical and major depression can lead to risk of suicide, nearly half of all suicide victims suffered from depression (Papolos & Papolos, 1992). Counselors, teachers and parents must be aware of the characteristics associated with a mood disorder along with the signs of suicide. There is indeed clinical evidence that depression can be an insidious and even fatal influence in the lives of some gifted people (Barkett, 2002; Claridge, Pryor, & Watkins, 1998; Jackson, 1998; Tolan, 1998). Signs of suicide and the possible connections between mood disorders may include changes in appearance (no longer caring for ones clothes), no longer concerned about plans for the future, giving away important possessions, making statements such as "I wish I were dead", history of family abuse and neglect, and decline in school performance. Becoming aware of these symptoms will enable those who work and live with the gifted to more quickly identify children who may be in need of assessment or intervention. It is also important to note that many signs of suicide are also indicators of mood disorders as well.
Helping Gifted Children with Depression
It is commonly stated that children can overcome depression on their own. It is possible but the chance for reoccurrence or relapse is much higher than of a child who experienced counseling. After becoming aware of the risks and signs, a parent or teacher must intervene and provide the child with the resources they need. Some things a parent can do to help their child is reduce or eliminate their child’s consumption of sugar and caffeine, which destabilize moods. The parent must increase the child’s level of exercise, especially if he or she has not been recently active. Another is to encourage the child to maintain social relationships (Neihart, M. 2002).
The most effective treatments for depression address the way people think. The best way to prevent depression in children is to help them develop optimistic thinking habits (Neihart, M. 2002). Parents, teachers and counselors can teach them that negative events are temporary, specific to certain circumstances, and not to be taken personally. When a teacher notices signs of depression in their gifted student, an option to help the child includes referring them to a school counselor. The counselor may run tests and assessments, elevated scores suggest the need for a diagnostic evaluation by a mental health professional. Teachers can also become advocates and expand their roles by educating others involved with the child and coordinating services for them.
Professionals and counselors should be aware of the child’s exceptional nature before they use conventional methods of counsel. They are to keep in mind that when assessing suicide with the gifted population they are dealing with potentially manipulative individuals, possessing well developed defense mechanisms (Counseling & Guidance Newsletter, Summer, 1995, Volume 5, Issue 2). It is important to use creative approaches, resources that are available, and remember that gifted children have exceptional abilities. It is easy to be fooled by exceptional intellect, comments from extensive clinical files and focus groups of gifted adolescents revealed several trends, most importantly the capacity to mask various aspects of a depressive disorder (Jackson, 1995).
Conclusion
The review of research made clear that studies have not yet confirmed that gifted children and adolescents have any significantly higher or lower rates or severity of depression than observed in the general population. Although, research does not deny that traits of gifted children such as intellectual functioning, perfectionism, social isolation, heightened sensitivity and asynchronous development may be relevant causes when these children become depressed.
Research also made relevant that children who are most commonly susceptible to depression are those who are not in proper educational environments. Poorness of fit with educational programming and lack of proper intellectual and emotional stimulation were prominent factors leading to social isolation. Without these crucial resources gifted children are left at risk.
Common Traits of Gifted Children
Common personality traits of gifted children are thought to leave them susceptible to the risks of depression. Gifted children have a strong tendency toward psychological introversion (Jackson, 1995; Silverman 1992, 1993). Traits involved with introversion for children characterizes them as embracing intellectual activity, emotions, sensations and concept formation. They have a tendency to process information and sensations internally, their less immediate communicative style may contribute to social awkwardness and isolation (Dauber & Benbow, 1990).
Many researchers have proposed that some of the advanced intellectual abilities and cognitive functioning of gifted children can lead to high levels of stress. Advanced cognitive functioning leads to imposing critical judgments and high standards on oneself and others. Intellectual abilities incline gifted youth to affiliate themselves with older individuals, resulting to greater exposure to adult conflicts and problems (Neihart; Reis; Robinson; Moon, 2001). This exposure may be an additional source of stress that the average child does not experience. This can lead to feelings of frustration, powerlessness and being helpless to change the situation.
There are also other common traits of a gifted child that may lead them to be at a higher risk for depression. One of these factors is known as perfectionism, it is an unhealthy and neurotic need to avoid failure. These students often struggle with making realistic goals and reasonable commitments. In its negative form, perfectionism is associated in clinical literature on general populations with a wide range of medical and emotional problems, including depression and suicide (Adkins & Parker, 1996; Blatt, 1995; Callahan, 1993; Hewitt, Flett & Ediger, 1996; Parker 2000). Pressure to perform at high standards combined with feelings of inadequacy may contribute to these fears of failure. These children often struggle with making realistic goals and reasonable commitments. They do not understand that there is a fine line between striving for excellence having an intense need to succeed.
Heightened emotional sensitivity is another feature of gifted children, they may suffer more from social injustices, personal losses and perceived rejections. These adolescents may have stronger, deeper, and more enduring reactions to stimuli than their aged peers (Dabrowski, 1967; Roedell, 1984; Silverman, 1984). Psychiatrist Kazimierz Dabrowski labeled these reactions as over-excitabilities. This can mean their mental activity, reactions and expressions are beyond common and average. Gifted children may experience high levels of frustration or concern when they are intellectually capable of understanding the nature and severity of personal and global injustices, yet feel powerless to act toward them (Gross, 1993).
Research is attempting to expose environmental stressors that can cause particular psychological reactions, leading to biochemical changes that are at the core of depressive disorder (Cytryn & McKnew, 1998). It cannot be stressed enough how important it is that gifted individuals be placed in an environment amongst their peers where there can get the proper support, stimulation and educational services. Students who are not in the proper educational environment are likely to be alienated by peers, being called names or bullied. This can lead to social isolation, it has been speculated that this may increase a gifted child’s risk for depression and suicide. It seems to be more of a problem for gifted children under the age of 10 who have less mobility to access intellectual peers (Neihart; Reis; Robinson; Moon, 2001).
Early research also adds the temperament of the gifted child to this list, temperament accounts for the child’s activity level, adaptability, threshold of responsiveness, intensity of reaction, mood quality, distractibility, attention span, and persistence. Children who have difficulty with transitions and change, exhibit exceptionally intense emotional reactions and are found to be at higher risk for behavioral disorders in childhood (Lerner, 1984).
One common type of depression that is known to affect gifted individuals is existential depression. Existential depression occurs when one confronts issues of existence such as life, death, disease, and freedom. Gifted children can experience existential depression as young as the age of five. They may begin to worry about death and also question the meaning of life. This type of depression ties in with their heightened sensitivity, these children may have strong concerns of death and dying, anxieties, fears, guilt, depression, suicidal moods, loneliness and feelings of inferiority.
Identifying Signs of Depression
According to psychologist Maureen Neihart, as many as 10 percent of children suffer from depression before age 12. Rates of depression are higher now than they have ever been, and they are expected to continue to increase. Also, the onset of depression is occurring at younger ages than ever before. This is why it’s important for parents and teachers of these children to be aware of the common signs and symptoms.
The severity, type, frequency, number and duration of symptoms depends on whether a particular condition meets clinical diagnostic criteria. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) published by the American Psychiatric Association, the individual must report either a depressed mood or a severe loss of interest and enjoyment in most activities. One or both of these feelings should be experienced most of the time for two weeks. Along with the fundamental feelings of depression and loss of interest, the individual should also report experiencing four symptoms from among the following: Significant increase or decrease in appetite or weight, increased or decreased sleep, physical restlessness or inertia, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, inability to concentrate or make a decision and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. These symptoms should cause interference in their ability to maintain relationships and carry out daily activities.
Depressive states have been categorized into two groups, mild and major. The primary symptom of both is disturbance in mood and the distinction between the two is matter of degree (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). A sad or depressed mood and loss of interest in usual activities or pleasures is signs of major depression. An individual may also experience excessive sadness or irritability, difficulty falling and staying asleep, excessive sleeping, low self-esteem, loss of energy, and difficulty in concentrating. Physical signs may include increased or decreased appetite following weight gain or loss. Individuals suffering from major depression may report recurring thoughts and images of death and suicide (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).
Depression at any age can be the result of social and biological factors, as stated earlier when gifted children do not have access to like-minded peers, accelerated school programs, and appropriate learning experiences it is clear that this may put them at risk for depression. These children can show signs of depression at early ages. Indicators of depression in young people include frequent headaches or stomachaches; outbursts of crying, complaining, shouting, extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure, recklessness and underachievement (Neihart, M. 2002). The signs at these young ages may also be subtle, they can include social withdrawal, acting out behaviors, and acute intellectualization.
Clinical and major depression can lead to risk of suicide, nearly half of all suicide victims suffered from depression (Papolos & Papolos, 1992). Counselors, teachers and parents must be aware of the characteristics associated with a mood disorder along with the signs of suicide. There is indeed clinical evidence that depression can be an insidious and even fatal influence in the lives of some gifted people (Barkett, 2002; Claridge, Pryor, & Watkins, 1998; Jackson, 1998; Tolan, 1998). Signs of suicide and the possible connections between mood disorders may include changes in appearance (no longer caring for ones clothes), no longer concerned about plans for the future, giving away important possessions, making statements such as "I wish I were dead", history of family abuse and neglect, and decline in school performance. Becoming aware of these symptoms will enable those who work and live with the gifted to more quickly identify children who may be in need of assessment or intervention. It is also important to note that many signs of suicide are also indicators of mood disorders as well.
Helping Gifted Children with Depression
It is commonly stated that children can overcome depression on their own. It is possible but the chance for reoccurrence or relapse is much higher than of a child who experienced counseling. After becoming aware of the risks and signs, a parent or teacher must intervene and provide the child with the resources they need. Some things a parent can do to help their child is reduce or eliminate their child’s consumption of sugar and caffeine, which destabilize moods. The parent must increase the child’s level of exercise, especially if he or she has not been recently active. Another is to encourage the child to maintain social relationships (Neihart, M. 2002).
The most effective treatments for depression address the way people think. The best way to prevent depression in children is to help them develop optimistic thinking habits (Neihart, M. 2002). Parents, teachers and counselors can teach them that negative events are temporary, specific to certain circumstances, and not to be taken personally. When a teacher notices signs of depression in their gifted student, an option to help the child includes referring them to a school counselor. The counselor may run tests and assessments, elevated scores suggest the need for a diagnostic evaluation by a mental health professional. Teachers can also become advocates and expand their roles by educating others involved with the child and coordinating services for them.
Professionals and counselors should be aware of the child’s exceptional nature before they use conventional methods of counsel. They are to keep in mind that when assessing suicide with the gifted population they are dealing with potentially manipulative individuals, possessing well developed defense mechanisms (Counseling & Guidance Newsletter, Summer, 1995, Volume 5, Issue 2). It is important to use creative approaches, resources that are available, and remember that gifted children have exceptional abilities. It is easy to be fooled by exceptional intellect, comments from extensive clinical files and focus groups of gifted adolescents revealed several trends, most importantly the capacity to mask various aspects of a depressive disorder (Jackson, 1995).
Conclusion
The review of research made clear that studies have not yet confirmed that gifted children and adolescents have any significantly higher or lower rates or severity of depression than observed in the general population. Although, research does not deny that traits of gifted children such as intellectual functioning, perfectionism, social isolation, heightened sensitivity and asynchronous development may be relevant causes when these children become depressed.
Research also made relevant that children who are most commonly susceptible to depression are those who are not in proper educational environments. Poorness of fit with educational programming and lack of proper intellectual and emotional stimulation were prominent factors leading to social isolation. Without these crucial resources gifted children are left at risk.