ADHD AND GIFTEDNESS are sometimes described as having the same or similar characteristics. However, one diagnosis is considered a disability and one, a gift. Neither assumption is ideal in supporting the child identified with either ADHD, giftedness, or both, often referred to as twice exceptional or 2e.
While many experts agree that these children do exist, there is currently no formal criteria to identify giftedness in children who are ADHD or to identify ADHD in children who are gifted.
Can a Child with ADHD be Gifted? Studies have shown that 50% of kids who are gifted have ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Research has found that people with ADHD have more creativity and idea generation than people without the disorder. 3 This can lead to outside-the-box thinking that is so important for innovation. Hyper-focus: Many people with ADHD become hyper-focused on things that interest them.
A popular misconception is that all children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are naturally smarter and have a higher IQ than children without ADHD. However, there is no correlation between this condition and intelligence.
High IQ may “mask” the diagnosis of ADHD by compensating for deficits in executive functions in treatment-naïve adults with ADHD.
These may include hyperfocus, resilience, creativity, conversational skills, spontaneity, and abundant energy. Many people view these benefits as “superpowers” because those with ADHD can hone them to their advantage. People with ADHD have a unique perspective that others may find interesting and valuable.
The five gifts of ADHD include creativity, emotional sensitivity, exuberance, interpersonal empathy, and being nature-smart (The Gift of Adult ADD, 2008).
Entrepreneurs. There are some well-known very high-achieving ADHD entrepreneurs including Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Walt Disney. Richard Branson had no interest in anything academic. Still, once he was able to harness his talents and imagination in his own way, he began to build a phenomenal business empire.
Overall, these findings suggest that adults with ADHD are able to generate more original ideas with higher motivation from competing for rewards, and that motivational factors may also underlie the higher creativity of individuals with ADHD in everyday life.
When do signs of giftedness appear? Signs of giftedness can appear as early as infancy and continue during the toddler and preschool years. Testing for giftedness and high IQ, however, usually takes place around age 5.
One way to distinguish between the two is to identify the “acting out” behaviors. If the behaviors happen in specific situations then the child's behavior is related to giftedness. On the other hand if the behavior is the same across all the situations, then the behavior is related to ADHD (Bainbridge 1).
The controversy comes in part from the fact that so many people with ADHD struggle mainly because the idea of it being a disorder gets in the way of them moving forward. Many people become shocked by hearing that it is actually a gift. It is true that while some people with ADD have lives that work well, others don't.
Consider these advantages afforded to those with ADD or ADHD: They excel in unstructured situations and conversations. They tend to be more intuitive. They tend to be much more creative.
Can someone with ADHD do well in school? Yes! ADHDers are more than capable of academic success. They may need to work harder than others in order to achieve a good outcome, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
ADHD Prevalence in Adults
The worldwide prevalence of adult ADHD is estimated at 2.8 percent, according to a 2020 study. Prevalence estimates for adult ADHD in the U.S. vary. One 2019 study estimates an adult ADHD prevalence of 0.96 percent – doubling from 0.43 percent a decade prior.
What is the Rarest Type of ADHD? The rarest type of ADHD diagnosed is the hyperactive-impulsive type with no indication of inattentive or distracted behavior, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
ADHD tends to run in families and, in most cases, it's thought the genes you inherit from your parents are a significant factor in developing the condition. Research shows that parents and siblings of someone with ADHD are more likely to have ADHD themselves.
Studies using the Big 5 Personality Factors show that ADHD is strongly tied to both extraversion and to neuroticism.