Paradox of Giftedness and Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Paradox of Giftedness and Autism Spectrum
Disorder
The Connie Belin Jacqueline N. Blank
International Center for Gifted Education and
Talent Development The University of Iowa
College of Education

• Introduction to the Pre-Institute

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project
Introductions
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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• Megan Foley Nicpon, Ph.D.
• Assistant Professor, Counseling Psychology
• Supervisor of Psychological Services, Belin-Blank
  Center
• Claire Whiteman, Ph.D.
• Senior Staff Psychologist, Belin-Blank Center

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• The Assessment and Counseling Clinic
• Nancy Whetstine, Administrative Support Staff
• Nick Colangelo, Director, Belin-Blank Center
• Susan Assouline, Associate Director, B-BC
• Graduate students, Counseling and School
  Psychology (current Alissa Doobay, Sam Shepard,
  Rebecca Stinson, Zach Sussman)

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Overview of the morning

• Introduction to gifted students with autism and
  evaluation tools/methods
• ASD assessment demonstration, followed by
  questions / answers
• Interviews with twice-exceptional students
• Parent break-out groups
• Interventions / Treatment ideas for working with
  gifted students with ASD.

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project
What is a twice-exceptional student?
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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• A student is considered twice-exceptional
• when he or she is identified
• as gifted/talented in one
• or more areas while also
• possessing a learning,
• emotional, physical, sensory,
• and/or developmental
• disability
• (from Assouline, Foley Nicpon, Huber, 2006)

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• It is difficult to describe the typical
  twice-exceptional student because of the
  variability demonstrated among them. The one
  common characteristic of this group, however, is
  that they simultaneously possess attributes of
  giftedness as well as learning, physical,
  social/emotional or behavioral deficits (The
  Twice-Exceptional Dilemma, National Education
  Association)

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• What are some challenges facing 2xe students?
• Gifts masking disability
• Disability masking gifts
• No identification

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• Types of Twice-Exceptionality
• GT with physical disabilities
• GT with sensory disabilities
• GT with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• GT with emotional and/or behavioral disorders
• GT with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
  (ADHD)
• GT with specific learning disabilities (SLD)

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project
Who is a gifted student with ASD?
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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• Definition of Gifted
• As identified by the No Child Left Behind Act
  (2002), the federal government defined gifted
  learners as those
• who give evidence of high achievement capability
  in areas such as intellectual, creative,
  artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific
  academic fields, and who need services or
  activities not ordinarily provided by the school
  in order to fully develop those capabilities (p.
  1959).

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• Definition of autism spectrum disorder
• Current view autism is a spectrum disorder,
  or a group of disorders that have overlapping
  features. 
• Symptoms range from mild to serious, but all fall
  under the umbrella of ASD, which includes
• Autistic disorder (classic autism)
• Asperger Syndrome (Asperger Disorder)
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise
  Specified (atypical autism)

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• Main areas of difficulty
• Communication verbal (spoken) and non-verbal
  (unspoken, e.g., pointing, eye contact, and
  smiling)
• Social sharing and expressing emotions,
  understanding how others think and feel, and
  social, reciprocal conversation
• Intense interests, routines or repetitive
  behaviors (repeating words or actions,
  obsessively following routines)

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• Other symptoms to look for
• Good vocabularies and grammar skills, coupled
  with a literal interpretation of language and
  trouble understanding non-verbal communication
• Motor difficulties (clumsy or uncoordinated
  movements and delays in motor skills)
• Social-skill and friendship making problems
• Sensitivity to sensory information (light, sound,
  texture, and taste)

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• Gifted student with ASD

Gifted/ASD students
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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project
How do we identify a gifted student with autism
spectrum disorder?
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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project
Schema of Gifted Students with Social Difficulties

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The ASD assessment process
Gather background information Review
records Interview parents/guardians
Child/adolescent interview
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The ASD assessment process

• Assessment Tools
• Cognition (SB5 WISC-IV WAIS-III)
• Achievement (WIAT-II WJIII)
• Motor (VMI 5th Edition Grooved Pegboard Test)
• Executive functioning, memory, social functioning
  (NEPSY-II, D-KEFS, Rey Complex Figure)
• Psychosocial functioning Behavior Assessment
  System for Children, 2nd Edition (BASC-2) Self
  Report, Parent, and Teacher Rating Scales
• Self Concept (Piers-Harris Self Concept Scale
  2)
• ASD diagnosis (Autism Diagnostic Observation
  Schedule ADOS Autism Diagnostic Interview
  Revised ADI-R)
• Adaptive behavior (Vineland-2)
• Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS)

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The JAVITS Iowa Twice-Exceptional Project

• ASD Assessment Demonstration
• Dr. Claire Whiteman
• ADI-R overview
• ADOS overview and demonstration

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Overview of ADI-R

• Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised
• Extended interview (93 items)
• Gather detailed information
• Language/communication
• Reciprocal social interaction
• Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped behaviors
  and interests
• Trained, experienced clinical interviewer

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Overview of ADOS

• Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
• A semi-structured standardized assessment
• 4 modules based on age and verbal skills
• Communication
• Social interaction
• Play and imaginative use of materials
• Includes standard activities and planned social
  occasions so that behaviors relevant to ASD can
  be observed

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Overview of ADOS (continued)

• Administration time 30 to 45 minutes
• Numerous opportunities to observe and elicit
  behaviors of interest in diagnosis of ASD
• Notes are taken during administration
• Specific behaviors are rated immediately
  following administration
• Administered by trained, skilled clinician

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ADOS Examples

• Construction Task (block puzzle)
• Observe asking for help (e.g., eye contact,
  vocalization, reaching over examiner?)
• Make-believe play (plastic figures and other
  play materials
• Observe imaginative play and coordination of
  behavior and affect in play interaction with
  examiner

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ADOS Examples

• Description of a picture (vacation scene)
• Observe spontaneous language and nonverbal
  communication, opportunity for reciprocal social
  interaction
• Telling a story from a book
• Observe language, interests, response to humor,
  understanding of social context and feelings of
  characters
• Questions (Friends, feelings, bullies)

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Demonstration Background information
Audience cue
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