The Gifted Adolescent at Risk: Strategies and Resources for Suicide Prevention among Gifted Youth

Abstract

Despite the widely held belief that gifted children are virtually immune to mental problems, recent research indicates that the incidence of psychosocial problems among gifted youth is at least as prevalent as in the general population. Furthermore, there is an increasing awareness of the potential for suicide among gifted, creative, and high achieving youth. Reminding us that gifted children are “children first, gifted second,” this article reviews techniques that have proven useful in curricula for suicide prevention among a general population of students: bibliotherapy, positive self-talk, self-concept activities. Ideas gleaned from Youth in Crisis (Barrett, 1987) are presented as being particularly relevant to the phenomenon of youth suicide. Finally, a program of guidance designed with the specific social and emotional needs of gifted persons in mind is recommended. This program would address such issues as perfectionism, societal expectations, and premature or dissynchronous development.