Definitions of giftedness vary, but generally identify that a gifted child has above average ability in one or more areas of human potential (intellectual, creative, social or physical). Also, there is a sense that this ability is a natural ability as opposed to one that has been trained. Usually, the gifted are considered to fall in the top 10{ba4639bc087185d97391fd5d15a50de89571c56f25425ee41c30a195518528de} of ability range for their age.
A review of the research on giftedness discovered that most parents are reasonably accurate when it comes to labeling their child as gifted. Whilst some people do seem to broadcast that their child is gifted, other parents do not want to make a fuss about their gifted child.
One of the many difficulties for support staff or carers assisting a complex young client is to establish, and then maintain, a healthy working relationship with them. Keeping a complex young person engaged is often very dependent on their relationship with support staff.In my experience, the efforts support staff put into building strong relationships with complex young people can sometimes fall flat. And in desperate attempts to help, some support staff may blur the relationship boundaries in dangerous ways.
How trauma affects relationshipsSupport staff usually enter the care field because they value warmth, like to help and want to make a difference. However if they expect warm and fuzzy feelings in their relationships with complex young people, they may experience a very long time between fuzzies and this can become problematic. Despite their best intentions and genuine care, when they come across a young person who doesn’t speak the same language of relationships, their care can be met with indifference. This is not because the young person is nasty, but because they have a history of relationships that tells them not to get close and to be cautious of shallow warmth and broken promises.
I love anger. You’re probably not supposed to have a favourite feeling because all feelings are important, but I do love anger. Anger has so many great functions. It can energise us. If unleashed, our anger can help us run faster, bite harder, and throw, move and break bigger things than we can when we are not so angry.
If emotions are the human dashboard that guides us through our body’s journey through life, when someone’s anger flares, it’s a great warning sign. Anger is a way our body and brain use to yell at us to pull over and make sure we pay attention to something that is not quite right.
Can you imagine what is would be like to have your beautiful young son or daughter come to you with such hatred for their appearance that they are begging you to take them to a plastic surgeon?
I think from time to time we all check out our image in the mirror and make an evaluation of it. Some people (young and old) make such critical evaluations of their appearance that they start to believe that they are unable to contribute to any sort of life because of their appearance. When this becomes debilitating, we usually consider a diagnosis of Body Dysmorphic Disorder.
Formulation and treatment planning in complex cases involving a young person are particularly challenging because of the sheer volume of information available to us. The key question is how to make effective use of it all. My suggestion is that we extend the well-known 4P approach to take into account 4 more critically important areas. In my view, ‘4P + 4’ would enable us to reach much greater clarity on what to target, why and how in order to improve a young person’s situation.
For a long time now, good psychologists have been considering client issues with reference to the 4 Ps: predisposing factors, precipitating factors, perpetuating issues and protective factors. I believe that in complex cases involving young people, the 4Ps need to be developed further to take individual development, established evidence, bio-psycho-social approach and system politics into account.
Complex cases involving young people come in a whirlwind of politics, spent and burnt-out workers and a trail of services that, for whatever reason, have been unable to help. In fact, Taz the Tasmanian Devil, the animated cartoon character, comes to mind. He usually moves around in a whirlwind of chaos, but sometimes steps outside to watch from arm’s length. And that’s exactly what we need to do: step back in order to separate the actual presenting problem from the chaos in a complex case.
Complex cases involving young people can seem chaotic. There’s the trauma of their own experience; the multitude of variables introduced by the families, carers and agencies supporting them; and the confusion that can arise from interagency politics, policies and rules. It can be difficult to know where to start in formulation and treatment planning.I suggest taking a step back, like Taz. In my experience, what follows is the clarity that leads to formulation and treatment that are useful. Here’s what you should consider:
“I’ll do it later.” “I’ll start tomorrow.” “I’m waiting until I’m in the right mood.” “I work better under pressure.” “I’m waiting for the rest of my group to get started.”
We all put things off from time to time or find it hard to make a decision. For the most part, we can usually come up with the goods in time to avoid dire consequences. However, some young people get so stuck in putting things off that it starts to have a big impact on their life.
There are few certain things in life. Sadly, like head lice in schools, there will likely always be difficult people that cross paths with your child from time to time. And just like head lice, it’s wise to check in with your kids from time to time to see whether they are dealing with someone they are finding difficult and to help them with a plan to manage.
Now, when I say check in with your child, you would know by now that I don’t mean putting them through the third degree. Most, but not all children will tell you if things are difficult with someone at school. If you have noticed a change in your child’s mood after school that’s lingering over a number of days, it’s wise to check in with them directly.
In clinical psychology or mental health realms, when a young person deliberately causes harm to him or herself as a way of managing or communicating distress to others, we refer to this as self harm. Self harm in times of distress most commonly includes cutting, burning, re-opening old wounds or head banging and the results can be superficial or very extreme and requiring hospitalisation. Self harm can also co-occur with other distressing conditions such as depression, anxiety, substance use and eating disorders. Whilst not all young people who self harm are suicidal, there is definitely an overlap and when someone is self harming, especially when they are causing extreme damage to themselves, there is an increased chance of accidental death. So, it is incredibly important that any sort of self harm by a young person is given the appropriate response.
Whilst any self harm is concerning, the latest figures on mental health and young people in Australia tell us that rates of self harm are dramatically increasing.
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