Family Functioning and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Gifted Children.

INTRODUCTION: Although gifted children can express high cognitive skills, they can also show socioemotional difficulties. Drawing from Olson's circumplex model, the present paper assessed the role of family functioning in internalizing and externalizing problems in gifted children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 362 mothers and their 362 gifted children were included. The unbalanced subscales of the FACES IV-disengagement, enmeshment, rigidity, and chaos-and the CBCL were administered to mothers. The children completed the WISC-IV. RESULTS: The model predicting internalizing problems was significant and explained 5.6% of the variance. Only rigidity had an independent and positive effect on internalizing problems in gifted children over and above sociodemographic variables and QI, whereas disengagement, enmeshment, and chaos were not associated with internalizing problems. The model predicting externalizing problems was significant and explained 10% of the variance. Again, rigidity was the only variable that had an independent and positive effect on externalizing problems in gifted children over and above sociodemographic variables and QI, whereas disengagement, enmeshment, and chaos were not associated with externalizing problems in this population. DISCUSSION: Rigid families with a low ability to change in conditions that require readjustment appear to increase the risk of both internalizing and externalizing problems in gifted children. Although further studies are needed to support these preliminary findings, parental support interventions aimed at increasing flexibility appear to be useful.

The Influence of Gifted Children's Stress Management on Parental Stress Levels.

This study explores the associations between gifted children's stress management and parental stress level. A sample of 78 primary school children and their 76 parents took part in this study. Children were screened for intelligence and emotional quotients, while parents were tested for stress levels. Results show that the more children are aware of their stress-management skills, the less parents are stressed out. Moreover, the intelligence quotient is not significant in mediating this association, supporting the idea that it is not an a priori protective factor from a developmental perspective. The study findings suggest that when a child is equipped with the skills to handle stress by harnessing their emotional intelligence, it can have a beneficial effect on the entire family's well-being. Given that these skills can be developed, and the significant positive influence they have on a child's growth and adaptation, it is essential to offer specialized educational programs to gifted children. These programs should aim to enhance their emotional skills, which, in turn, can indirectly bolster the psychological health of the family unit as a whole.