Have you noticed that your child has exceptional abilities for his or her age? If you want to know more, we recommend that you consult experts in high abilities, who can give you better guidance on this topic. It is also important that, if your child is in secondary education, you receive appropriate guidance to enable them to develop their potential in an environment adapted to their needs.

High abilities are an intellectual condition that embraces a range of cognitive, emotional and social skills that go beyond just a high IQ. 

In general, people with high abilities tend to excel in one or more specific areas. For example, in mathematics, music, art or leadership. As such, their development requires a differentiated educational approach in order for these children to reach their full potential.

Consequently, early identification of these abilities is essential in order to provide them with the necessary support. However, it should be kept in mind that their abilities can manifest themselves in very different ways, so it is not always easy to distinguish a child with high abilities from one with normal development.  

But what does it mean to have high abilities? Below, we explain the definition of high abilities, their characteristics, the different classifications and when a person is considered to have high abilities.

 

Definition of high abilities

What are high abilities? The term high abilities refers to a diverse group of intellectual abilities that exceed what is considered normal for a child’s age and social context. It can range from high performance in academic tasks to exceptional creativity or advanced social skills.  

It encompasses both general and specific abilities.  

General ability is the ability to process information and solve problems in a wide variety of contexts, while specific ability focuses on a particular area, such as mathematics, music or sport. These are talents that require thorough assessment in order to be correctly identified, as they are not always obvious to the naked eye.

Characteristics of people with high abilities

 

People with high abilities display a set of characteristics that differentiate them from the rest of the population. However, they are not uniform and do not manifest themselves in the same way in all people, thus making it more complicated to identify them. Nevertheless, there are certain cognitive, emotional and social aspects that tend to be present in most cases:

Cognitive aspects

People with high cognitive abilities stand out in intelligence tests and tasks that require abstract thinking.  They learn and process information quickly, grasping complex concepts with ease. A distinctive feature is divergent thinking which enables them to generate multiple creative solutions to problems. 

As a result, children of this type are often capable of solving advanced mathematical problems or have an unusual vocabulary for their age. In addition, they have the ability to apply their knowledge in new situations and tend to stand out academically. 

Emotional aspects

Individuals with high abilities tend to be highly sensitive and empathic, experiencing emotions in a very intense way. This allows them to connect deeply with others, but also makes them very susceptible to anxiety and stress. 

In addition, the ‘asynchrony’ between intellectual and emotional development can generate internal conflicts. It is therefore very important to support them in managing their emotions and to provide an environment that respects their emotional and cognitive needs.

Social aspects

Due to their maturity and advanced interests, children with high abilities may have difficulties in socialising. In fact, they often prefer the company of adults and, in some cases, may take on leadership roles from an early age. However, if not well managed, this leadership can create tensions, causing them to feel socially disconnected or isolated. 

Classification of high abilities

High abilities are not a homogeneous phenomenon, but we can distinguish between different classifications depending on the form or degree to which these abilities are manifested. Now that you know what high abilities are, we will explain what the most common classifications are:

  • Highly gifted: exhibit superior intellectual performance in a number of areas. They tend to learn easily in any discipline and have a distinct cognitive mode of functioning so they have a great capacity for problem solving. Highly gifted individuals are considered to have an IQ above 130.
  • Talented: excel in specific areas, such as mathematics, music, sport or the arts. They do not necessarily have a high IQ in all areas, but show exceptional performance in their area of talent. For example, a mathematical talent may excel in logical reasoning and mathematical problem solving, while an artistic talent may excel in painting or sculpture.
  • Precocious: show advanced skills in one or more areas at an early age. However, these skills are not always maintained or developed at the same rate in adulthood. It should also be noted that not all precocious children become gifted.
  • Prodigies: children who perform complex activities at a level comparable to that of an adult in a specific discipline at a very early age, such as music, mathematics or literature.  
  • Geniuses: a genius is a person who not only has a high level of intelligence, but also possesses a level of creativity and innovation that goes beyond high intellectual capacity. Not all gifted individuals or prodigies are necessarily geniuses.

When is a person considered to have high ability?

Generally, a person is considered to have high ability when they show significantly above-average performance in one or more areas, which can be measured through standardised tests of intelligence, creativity or academic performance.

However, determining when a person has high abilities is not a simple task, as it involves assessing multiple aspects of cognitive, emotional and social development.  

A widely recognised model for this is Joseph Renzulli’s three-ring model, which considers the intersection of three key factors: above-average ability, creativity and motivation or task involvement. According to this model, it is not enough to have a high IQ, you also need strong motivation and a remarkable creative capacity to fully develop your potential.

In terms of IQ, an IQ threshold above 130 is usually set for a person to be considered highly gifted. However, it is important to take into account that IQ is only a partial indicator of high ability. Other factors, such as creativity, motivation and leadership skills, which may not be fully reflected in a conventional intelligence test, are also important to consider.

In addition, it is essential to identify and support highly able individuals from an early age, as the appropriate development of their abilities depends to a large extent on the educational and social environment in which they find themselves. A personalised educational approach, including enrichment programmes and extracurricular activities adapted to their needs, can make a big difference in their development.