Few studies have analyzed the psychometric profile (Homogenous/Heterogenous), established by the Wechsler scale in high intellectual potential children (HIP, IQ>130), regarding the psycho-socio-emotional characteristics.

We aimed to look at the links between the IQ-profile and the psycho-socio-emotional characteristics in HIP.

Anamnestic questionnaire and Wechsler-Intelligence-Scale for children (WISC-V) were conducted and analyzed in 58 healthy children with HIP, aged 7-to-13 years-old (mean 10y; SD 1.8). It was possible to distinguished 27 Homogenousvs 30 Heterogenous IQ-profile.

No significant difference between homogenous/heterogonous groups, FIQ was positively significantly correlated with “Reacting very little emotionally”, “Tendency to isolation”. Visual-Spatial-Index (VSI) with “Ability to adapt to new people” (r=-0.4, p=0.02), “few interests” (r=0.5, p=0.008). Verbal-Comprehension-Index (VCI) with “Reacting strongly to frustration”, “Difficulties to understand limits”, “Separation anxiety”. A significant difference between homogenous/heterogonous groups was shown regarding “few interests” with high rate in the heterogonous group (t= -2.34, p=0.023).

HIP seems to cover specific psycho-socio-emotional characteristics linked to IQ index distribution. Thus, it appears interesting to assess more the emotional and socio-cognitive field to understand these characteristics in HIP children.

No significant relationships.

Several studies have reported anxiety disorders in children with high intellectual potential (HIP). However, there are discrepant results possibly as a result of methodological biases (different/absent definitions of HIP, small sample sizes, non-validated/adapted/specific tools for assessing anxiety and a single observational source).

To examine more thoroughly the relationships between HIP and anxiety in large samples of children using clear definitions of HIP, different observational sources and specific assessments of anxiety.

Children with HIP (n = 211, total IQ ≥130) were compared with children without HIP (n = 397, total IQ <130) for anxiety using different observational sources (child psychiatric diagnosis, parental evaluation and child's self-evaluation). Intellectual functioning was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale.

There were significantly more children with HIP who had anxiety disorders than children without HIP based on the child psychiatric diagnosis. Moreover, based on the child's self-evaluation, children with a high Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI ≥130) were significantly more anxious than children with a VCI <130, whereas children with a high Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI ≥130) were significantly less anxious than children with a PRI <130. Finally, there was no significant relationship between levels of intellectual functioning and anxiety according to parental observation.

The results highlight the importance of using multiple observational sources and conducting analyses on different dimensions of intellectual functioning (such as VCI and PRI), rather than only on the composite total IQ score. High verbal potential might be a factor of vulnerability for anxiety, whereas high perceptual reasoning might be a protective factor. Further studies are necessary to understand better the mechanisms underlying these results.