Home > Services > Teen & Child > Assessments > Intellectual Abilities > Giftedness
High Intellectual Ability or Giftedness
Diagnostic Evaluation
Some children, whose thinking is fast, complex, and highly associative, may feel out of step with their environment. A cognitive assessment identifies a high cognitive ability and helps understand the characteristics associated with it.
However, giftedness is first and foremost a valuable asset that supports social adaptation. When emotional or adjustment difficulties arise, they are generally not caused by High Intellectual Abilty itself. A psycho-affective assessment is then necessary to determine their true origins.
FAQ
-
The assessment draws on previous reports (if available), clinical observations made during the sessions, and a battery of standardized tests administered in the office, both in written and digital formats. Together, these elements provide a detailed, nuanced, and objective understanding of the child’s mental functioning
-
The first appointment is usually held with both parents present, without the child. It focuses on an in‑depth discussion of the child’s history, current difficulties, and the parents’ expectations.
This interview aims to:
Determine whether a diagnostic evaluation is appropriate.
Clarify the assessment protocol (tests selected based on the information gathered beforehand).
Explain the full evaluation process (number of sessions, duration, report, and feedback session).
Address any questions the parents may have.
Establish a trusting environment, which is essential for minimizing the impact of anxiety on test performance.
-
It enables the clinician to:
Establish a diagnosis.
Gain an in-depth understanding of the child’s mental functioning and its impact on daily life.
Provide tailored recommendations and accommodations for daily life, both at home and at school.
-
Intellectual abilities: logical, conceptual, and quantitative reasoning.
Attentional functions: selective and sustained attention.
Executive functions: cognitive inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory.
Memory functions: short-term memory.
Visuospatial functions: 2D representation.