La Soledad en la Alta Capacidad Intelectual: Factores de Riesgo y Estrategias de Afrontamiento

Loneliness in giftedness

Abstract

Gifted children and teenagers have a series of unique characteristics and needs that are sometimes difficult to understand and tolerate for others, so they often face situations of physical or shared loneliness with serious repercussions on physical and mental health. The research found that if giftedness does not develop in an appropriate socio-affective context since childhood these children and adolescents may be at risk with respect to mental health to become healthy adults in a biopsychosocial aspect. The aim of this article is to describe some of the possible risk factors that make gifted children and adolescents especially vulnerable to experiencing physical, social and / or psychological isolation, as well as the coping strategies most commonly used by them to try to overcome these stress situations. The results suggest as main risk factors the dyssynchrony and cognitive complexity with respect to their peers, different friendship patterns and greater connectivity within the mentalization system. The most commonly used social coping strategies in response to the perception of negative social effects are denying talent, minimizing popularity and the conformity with the others.