{"id":31210,"date":"2020-11-29T08:25:07","date_gmt":"2020-11-29T08:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.potentialplusuk.org\/?page_id=31210"},"modified":"2023-11-22T15:37:21","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T15:37:21","slug":"hypersensitivities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/potentialplusuk.org\/index.php\/common-difficulties\/hypersensitivities\/","title":{"rendered":"Overexcitabilities and Hypersensitivities in Children with High Learning Potential"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Overexcitabilities \/ Hypersensitivities in Children with High Learning Potential” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:36|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1700667023178{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”31204″ img_size=”475×270″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1598717552936{background-color: #f8f8fc !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”20″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

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One way of understanding some of the characteristics of individuals with high learning potential is to look at their \u2018hypersensitivities\u2019 or \u2018overexcitabilities\u2019. The term overexcitabilities, sometimes referred to as OEs, comes from the Theory of Positive Disintegration, a personality development theory, which was developed by Kazimierz Dabrowski \u2013 Polish Psychologist and Psychiatrist (1902-1980).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In developing and researching his theory, Dabrowski found that people with advanced emotional development, including advanced moral development, had a set of traits which he termed \u2018Overexcitabilities\u2019, or hypersensitivities. It is characterised by\u00a0<\/span>an innate tendency to respond in an intensified manner to various forms of stimuli, both external and internal and could also be termed \u2018spirited\u2019. Having overexcitabilities means that life is experienced in a manner that is deeper, more vivid and more acutely sensed.<\/p>\n

Dabrowski researched his theory with a group of 50 gifted young people aged between 8 and 23 years. He found that all of them had overexcitabilities. He also found that many of them had depression or anxieties and concluded that:<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably the cause is more than average sensitivity which not only permits one to achieve outstanding results in learning and work, but at the same time increases the number of points sensitive to all experiences that may accelerate anomalous reactions revealing themselves in psychoneurotic sets\u201c<\/em><\/p>\n

Further research done on this topic has confirmed this finding and research is still being done today.<\/p>\n

More information about hypersensitivities is available on our advice sheet PA610 Hypersensitivity (Dabrowski\u2019s Overexcitabilities)<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20″][vc_separator color=”black” border_width=”2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Dabrowski observed 5 Hypersensitivities – Psychomotor, Intellectual, Sensual, Emotional, Imaginational<\/h3>\n

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Psychomotor – movement, restlessness, activity & energy<\/h2>\n

Psychomotor hypersensitivity\/overexcitability is an enhanced excitability of the neuromuscular system. It is characterised by a surplus of energy, being busy and restless, having rapid speech and gestures with whole body.<\/p>\n

There is often intense physical activity, though not<\/em> necessarily ability in this area, meaning that it may or may not be accompanied by poor physical coordination. Individuals with psychomotor overexcitability are often prone to fidgeting and fiddling.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Behaviours associated with psychomotor hypersensitivity are:<\/p>\n