Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, Ocd, Asperger's, Depression, and Other Disorders [Paperback]

James T. Webb (Author), Edward R. Amend (Author), Nadia E. Webb (Author), Jean Goerss (Author), Paul Beljan (Author), F. Richard Olenchak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2005

Our brightest, most creative children and adults are often being misdiagnosed with behavioral and emotional disorders such as ADHD, Oppositional-Defiant Disorder, Bipolar, OCD, or Asperger’s. Many receive unneeded medication and inappropriate counseling as a result.

Physicians, psychologist, and counselors are unaware of characteristics of gifted children and adults that mimic pathological diagnoses. Six nationally prominent health care professionals describe ways parents and professionals can distinguish between gifted behaviors and pathological behaviors.

Features include a Foreword by Ronald E. Fox, Psy.D., Ph.D., Past President of the American Psychological Association, and:

• Written for parents and professionals • Characteristics of gifted children and adults • Diagnoses most commonly given to gifted children and adults • Traits of diagnoses incorrectly given to gifted children and adults • Guidelines to avoid mislabeling gifted children • Parent-child relationship problems • Issues for gifted adults • Advice for selecting a counselor or health care professional

"Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults" has been endorsed by three past presidents of the American Psychological Association, two neurologists, and two family practice physicians.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"!!!!!Must Read" -- Today's Books, December, 2004

"I recommend this book to all parents, teachers, and professionals who interact with gifted children and their families." -- Drake D. Duane, M.D., Director, Institute of Behavioral Neurology; Past-President, International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities; Past Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board, The Dyslexia Foundation

"Makes a powerful statement... I highly recommend this book to both professionals and parents." -- Nicholas Colangelo, Ph.D., Professor of Gifted Education and Director, Belin-Blank Center, The University of Iowa

"Parents, teachers, physicians, counselors, and therapists, as well as gifted will find a wealth of practical knowledge here." -- Nancy McWilliams, Ph.D., Author, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: A Practitioner's Guide, Professor, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

"This book clarifies important and relevant characteristics of gifted children and adults... concise, informative, and readable." -- Richard M. Clouse, M.D., F.A.A.F.P., Associate Professor,University of Louisville School of Medicine

"This book is a significant contribution that should greatly reduce the difficulties in making an appropriate diagnosis" -- Tracy L. Cross, Ph.D., George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Gifted Studies, Editor, Roeper Review

"This book is an invaluable resource for professionals and parents... to clarify the often-misunderstood experiences of gifted children and adults." -- Colleen M. Harsin, M.A., M.S.W., Manager of Family Services, Davidson Institute for Talent Development

"This well-organized book describes how giftedness can be confused with some psychiatric disorders, obscure other disorders." -- William H. Smith, Ph.D., ABPP-CL, Former Dean, Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry and Mental Health Sciences

"Valuable resource for parents, teachers, and professionals from both psychological and medical communities. I wish I had it years ago." -- Carolyn Kottmeyer, Hoagies' Gifted Education Page; Hoagies' Kids and Teens Page

"a thorough and compassionate guide to behaviors of gifted children and adults that are sometimes mistaken as psychiatric symptoms" -- Randi Hutter Epstein, M.D., New York

About the Author

The authors, James T. Webb, Ph.D., Edwards R. Amend, Psy.D., Nadia E. Webb, Psy.D., Jean Goerss, M.D., Paul Beljan, Psy.D., and F. Rich Olenchak, Ph.D., include the President of the National Association for Gifted Children, two clinical neuropsychologists, two clinical psychologists, and a board-certified pediatrician formerly affiliated with The Mayo Clinic. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 265 pages
• Publisher: Great Potential Press (January 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0910707677
• ISBN-13: 978-0910707671
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #68,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Testing & Measurement
  • #35 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Children's Health > Learning Disorders
  • #86 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Children's Health > Autism & Asperger's Syndrome

More About the Author

James T. Webb, Ph.D., ABPP-CL, has been recognized as one of the 25 most influential psychologists nationally on gifted education, and he consults with schools, programs and individuals about social and emotional needs of gifted and talented children. In 1981, Dr. Webb established SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of Gifted Children, Inc.), a national nonprofit organization that provides information, training, conferences and workshops, and he remains as Chair of SENG's Professional Advisory Committee.

In 1992, Dr. Webb received the Heiser Presidential Award for Advocacy by the American Psychological Association, and also the National Award for Excellence, Senior Investigator Division, from the Mensa Education and Research Foundation.In 2011, he was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arizona Association for Gifted children, the Community Service Award from the National Association for Gifted Children, and the Upton Sinclair Award by EducationNews.org.

A frequent keynote and workshop speaker at state and national conventions, Dr. Webb, a licensed and board-certified psychologist, has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS Sunday Morning, The Phil Donahue Show, CNN, and National Public Radio. A Fellow of the American Psychological Association, he served for three years on its governing body, the Council of Representatives. Dr. Webb is a Fellow of the Society of Pediatric Psychology and the Society for Personality Assessment. He has served on the Board of Directors for the National Association for Gifted Children, and was President of the American Association for Gifted Children. Currently, Dr. Webb is President of Great Potential Press, Inc.

Dr. Webb was President of the Ohio Psychological Association in 1974-1975, and a member of its Board of Trustees for seven years. He has been in private practice as well as in various consulting positions with clinics and hospitals. In 1978, Dr. Webb was one of the founders of the School of Professional Psychology at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, and from 1978-1995 he was a Professor and Associate Dean. Previously, Dr. Webb directed the Department of Psychology at the Children's Medical Center in Dayton and was Associate Clinical Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the Wright State University School of Medicine. From 1970-1975, Dr. Webb was on the graduate faculty in psychology at Ohio University.

Dr. Webb is the lead author of Guiding the Gifted Child, which sold more than 125,000 copies, has been translated into several languages, and won the National Media Award of the American Psychological Association as the best book for "significantly contributing to the understanding of the unique, sensitive, emotional needs of exceptional children." Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults has won three awards, as has A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children. Grandparents' Guide to Gifted Children also has won two "Best Book" awards. Dr. Webb has written more than 70 professional publications, 15 books, three videos, and many research papers for psychology conventions or conferences regarding gifted and talented children.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Webb graduated from Rhodes College, and received his doctorate degree from the University of Alabama. Dr. Webb and his wife are parents of six daughters.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

111 of 122 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-Read for parents, medical, psychological, and education December 21, 2004

By Carolyn K. VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Twice exceptional children, that is those who are both gifted and learning disabled, are an enigma to parents and professionals alike. And because of the overlap in characteristics, some gifted children are diagnosed as having other exceptionalities, when they are really just exhibiting characteristics of giftedness. Figuring these kids out is difficult, at best.

Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults should be read by all. Parents will find great information and detailed vignettes describing many dual exceptionalities and misdiagnoses. Professionals, whether medical, psychological, or educational, will find the differential information that will enable them to stop pathologizing normal behaviors of the gifted, and to stop missing real diagnoses that were previously excused as characteristics of giftedness. And gifted adults will find confirmation of the differences they may have struggled with all their lives, that no one could ever explain before. While the book does not replace professional counseling, it does offer great first steps towards dealing with both the frustrating characteristics of giftedness, and the symptoms of dual exceptionalities.

Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses is a valuable resource for parents, teachers, and professionals from both psychological and medical communities. It should be among every school's counseling resources, and every pediatrician's reading list. And parents of both gifted and twice exceptional kids should make time to read it.

Bottom line: I LOVE it! And though I wish I had it years ago, I found several very valuable sections to help with my own kids even now, plus tons of great information to recommend to both parents and professionals who come to Hoagies' Page seeking help.

Half the royalties from purchases of Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults go to support the nonprofit organization SENG - Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted www.sengifted.org!

124 of 140 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars It would be a great book if it wasn't discriminatory March 14, 2006

By Ettina Female Ettin

Format:Paperback

My Mom likes this book for its information about giftedness and wishes she had read it when she was fighting with my school.

However, I don't like the attitude that giftedness is OK but no other difference is OK. I'm a gifted autistic. I value myself not only as a gifted person but also as an autistic person. Their portrayal of autistics is stereotypical and has little relationship to how I and other autistics actually think.

I first got upset about the ADHD section (which comes first) because a) they stated why gifted kids might do a behavior but only implied why ADHDers might do it, which makes it hard to actually differentiate, and b) they portray ADHDers as pathological. At one point they say "this behavior can be better understood as non-pathological..." about why gifted kids do it. Pathological means pertaining to disease. ADHD, autism and other neurological differences are not diseases. They don't kill people, and if given proper support they don't make the person any less happy or healthy. I was very unhappy in school because I was bullied for acting strangely, but now that I'm homeschooled I'm much happier, though the bullying has left emotional scars I'm trying to heal from.

52 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank Goodness for This Book September 18, 2006

By Marion Gropen

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If it weren't for this book, and for James Webb, I might have believed the teachers and psychologists who told me that something was really wrong with my daughter. After reading this book, I realized that several things were really right with her, but that we weren't handling her in the ways most likely to help her adapt and succeed.

With the help of this book, some enlightened professionals, and my own observations of my girl, we have succeeded in helping her find her way within the school, with her peer group, and with adults.

If you have a child being labeled as having Aspergers, ADHD, etc. and one who is very bright, get this book. It may be that the disabilities are there, but it may not. Too many of our teachers, social workers, and psychologists are too eager to slap on a label and let themselves off the hook. Don't give up on your kid, and don't let them do it either.

This book will help you find ways to evaluate what you are seeing, and what you are being told, and it will help you find ways to respond constructively.