Types of Overexcitability in Intellectually Gifted Adolescent Students in Slovakia

Abstract

The aim of the study was the comparison of intellectually gifted
secondary grammar school students with students from the
average population of secondary grammar school students, in
the level of overexcitability and prediction of intellectual
giftedness through the various types of overexcitability. The
research sample consisted of 88 secondary grammar school
students aged 16-17 years. The target group, who were
identified as intellectually gifted students, consisted of 44
students, whereas the control group consisted of 44 students
from an average population of secondary grammar school
students. We used tests of intellectual ability, Raven's Advanced
Progressive Matrices Test, Intelligence Structure Analysis, and
Urban's Figural Test of Creative Thinking to identify intellectually
gifted secondary grammar school students. Types of
overexcitability were assessed by means of the Overexcitability
Questionnaire. Statistical analysis showed significant differences
in the level of overexcitabilities between intellectually gifted
secondary grammar school students and students from the
average population of secondary grammar school students.
Significant predictive power of intellectual and emotional
overexcitability was found in relation to intellectual giftedness.