Editorial: The Public and Professional Perception of the Emotional Status of Gifted Children

Abstract

The public perception of the emotional status of gifted children and adults has been transformed several times over the past half cen­ tury. A similar shift has been true of professional educators as well. This special issue of the Journal for the Education of the Gifted is devoted to bringing additional information on this topic. This paper is designed to set the stage for the rest of the issue by reviewing the general topic area. Before any serious attempt at research was available on the emo­ tional status of gifted children there were many different opinions on the topic. One prevailing view was that giftedness might be linked to insanity, an idea proposed by the distinguished criminolo­ gist, Lombroso (1891). Also, since gifted individuals became more prominent and well known to large numbers of people, any personal problems they might have, such as Van Gogh's psychosis, would be magnified in the public's perception. An easy link was drawn between great tal­ ent and emotional instability. Yet there is another factor that may account for why such views are easily accepted. Such views as the link between giftedness and insanity fit into a primitive concept of equity. That is, if a person has a great many talents and gifts in one area, it is only fair that they should have some disability, as well, to balance it off. This view is represented by the direct challenge that the Supreme Being would not be so unfair as to give a multitude of talents to some individuals and a multitude of deficits to others!

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