Overexcitabilities: A Key Overexcitabilities: A Key to Understanding Your to Understanding Your

Gifted PersonalityGifted PersonalityBased on…Based on…

Dabrowski’s Theory of Dabrowski’s Theory of OverexcitabilitiesOverexcitabilities

Overexcitabilities/Overexcitabilities/Supersensitivities/Supersensitivities/

A consistent over-reaction to external and internal stimuli in a variety of

domains.

Translation!Translation!

Some individuals tend to reactSome individuals tend to react more more stronglystrongly than average to things that happen than average to things that happen to them.to them.

Some individuals tend to react to these Some individuals tend to react to these things things for a longer timefor a longer time than average. than average.

Remember…Remember…

These reactions are a part of the physical and These reactions are a part of the physical and mental make-up of the individual.mental make-up of the individual.

Such individuals do not react this way Such individuals do not react this way on on purpose.purpose.

This is simply a part of This is simply a part of who they are.who they are.

PSYCHOMOTORPSYCHOMOTOR

PSYCHOMOTORPSYCHOMOTOROVEREXCITABILITYOVEREXCITABILITY

Heightened excitability of the neuromuscular Heightened excitability of the neuromuscular systemsystem

Capacity for being active and energeticCapacity for being active and energetic Love of movement for its own sakeLove of movement for its own sake Organic surplus of energyOrganic surplus of energy Psychomotor expression of emotional tensionPsychomotor expression of emotional tension May be misdiagnosed as ADHDMay be misdiagnosed as ADHD

Psychomotor StrategiesPsychomotor Strategies

Allow time for physical or verbal activity, before, Allow time for physical or verbal activity, before, during, and after normal daily and school activities – during, and after normal daily and school activities – these individuals love to “do” and need to “do.” these individuals love to “do” and need to “do.” Build activity and movement into their livesBuild activity and movement into their lives

Be sure the physical or verbal activities are Be sure the physical or verbal activities are acceptable and not distracting to those around them. acceptable and not distracting to those around them.

Provide time for spontaneity and open-ended, Provide time for spontaneity and open-ended, freewheeling activities. These tend to favor the needs freewheeling activities. These tend to favor the needs of a person high in Psychomotor OEof a person high in Psychomotor OE

SENSUALSENSUAL

SENSUAL SENSUAL OVEREXCITABILITYOVEREXCITABILITY

Heightened experience of sensual Heightened experience of sensual pleasure or displeasure from sight, pleasure or displeasure from sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearingsmell, touch, taste, and hearing

Sensual expression and outlets for Sensual expression and outlets for emotional tensionemotional tension

Appreciation for aesthetic pleasuresAppreciation for aesthetic pleasures May become over stimulated or May become over stimulated or

uncomfortable with sensory inputuncomfortable with sensory input

Sensual StrategiesSensual Strategies

Whenever possible, create an environment which Whenever possible, create an environment which limits offensive stimuli and provides comfort.limits offensive stimuli and provides comfort.

Provide appropriate opportunities for being in the Provide appropriate opportunities for being in the limelight by giving unexpected attention, or limelight by giving unexpected attention, or facilitating creative and dramatic productions that facilitating creative and dramatic productions that have an audience. These individuals feel the have an audience. These individuals feel the recognition from being in the limelight.recognition from being in the limelight.

Provide time to dwell in the delight of the sensual and Provide time to dwell in the delight of the sensual and to create a soothing environmentto create a soothing environment

INTELLECTUALINTELLECTUAL

INTELLECTUAL INTELLECTUAL OVEREXCITABILITYOVEREXCITABILITY

Heightened need to seek understanding and Heightened need to seek understanding and truthtruth

Intensified activity of the mindIntensified activity of the mind Penchant for probing questions; Problem Penchant for probing questions; Problem

solvingsolving Preoccupation with logic, theoretical thinking Preoccupation with logic, theoretical thinking

and development of new conceptsand development of new concepts May have intense focus on one topicMay have intense focus on one topic

Intellectual StrategiesIntellectual Strategies

Show how to find the answers to questions. Show how to find the answers to questions. This respects and encourages a person’s This respects and encourages a person’s passion to analyze, synthesize, and seek passion to analyze, synthesize, and seek understanding.understanding.

Provide opportunities to nourish and “feed” Provide opportunities to nourish and “feed” their area of interest.their area of interest.

Clubs, museums, books, magazines, webinarsClubs, museums, books, magazines, webinars

IMAGINATIONALIMAGINATIONAL

IMAGINATIONAL IMAGINATIONAL OVEREXCITABILITYOVEREXCITABILITY

Heightened play of the imaginationHeightened play of the imagination Rich association of images and Rich association of images and

impressionsimpressions Spontaneous imagery as an expression Spontaneous imagery as an expression

of emotional tensionof emotional tension Capacity for living in a world of Capacity for living in a world of

fantasyfantasy

Imaginational StrategiesImaginational Strategies

May confuse reality and fiction because their memories and May confuse reality and fiction because their memories and new ideas become blended in their mind. Help individuals to new ideas become blended in their mind. Help individuals to differentiate between their imagination and the real world by differentiate between their imagination and the real world by having them place a stop sign in their mental videotape, or having them place a stop sign in their mental videotape, or write down or draw the factual account before they embellish write down or draw the factual account before they embellish it. it.

Help people use their imagination to function in the real world Help people use their imagination to function in the real world and promote learning and productivity. For example, instead and promote learning and productivity. For example, instead of the conventional school organizer notebook, have children of the conventional school organizer notebook, have children create their own organizational system. create their own organizational system.

EMOTIONALEMOTIONAL

EMOTIONAL EMOTIONAL OVEREXCITABILITYOVEREXCITABILITY

Heightened, intense positive and negative Heightened, intense positive and negative

feelingsfeelings Somatic expressionsSomatic expressions Capacity for deep relationshipsCapacity for deep relationships Feelings may interfere with everyday tasks Feelings may interfere with everyday tasks

such as completing homeworksuch as completing homework

Emotional StrategiesEmotional Strategies

Accept all feelings, regardless of intensity. For people who Accept all feelings, regardless of intensity. For people who are not highly emotional, this seems particularly odd. They are not highly emotional, this seems particularly odd. They feel that those high in Emotional OE are just melodramatic. feel that those high in Emotional OE are just melodramatic. However if we accept their emotional intensity and help them However if we accept their emotional intensity and help them work through any problems that might result, we will facilitate work through any problems that might result, we will facilitate healthy growth. healthy growth.

Teach individuals to anticipate physical and emotional Teach individuals to anticipate physical and emotional responses and prepare for them. Emotionally intense people responses and prepare for them. Emotionally intense people often don’t know when they are becoming so overwrought that often don’t know when they are becoming so overwrought that they may lose control or may have physical responses to their they may lose control or may have physical responses to their emotions. emotions.

Emotional Strategies cont.Emotional Strategies cont.

Help them to identify the physical warning signs of Help them to identify the physical warning signs of their emotional stress such as headaches, sweaty their emotional stress such as headaches, sweaty palms, and stomachaches. By knowing the warning palms, and stomachaches. By knowing the warning signs and acting on them early, individuals will be signs and acting on them early, individuals will be better able to cope with emotional situations and not better able to cope with emotional situations and not lose control. lose control.

Overexcitabilities are…Overexcitabilities are…

Great!Great! Exciting!Exciting! Fulfilling!Fulfilling!

Challenging!Challenging! Troublesome!Troublesome! Painful!Painful!

ReferencesReferences

www.sengifted.org Supporting Emotional Needs of the GiftedSupporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted

Powerpoint adapted from Lori Comallie – Powerpoint adapted from Lori Comallie – Caplan, MA, LED, LMSWCaplan, MA, LED, LMSW