Haut potentiel intellectuel, enjeux d’un bilan psychologique intégratif en clinique de l’adolescent. À propos d’une étude de cas

Abstract

IntroductionWith a prevalence of 2.3% among French schoolchildren aged 6 to 16, giftedness represents a challenge in child psychiatry (Delaubier, 2002). Dys-synchronies can appear in the different domains of intelligence, associated with eclectic symptoms: hypersensitivity, anxiety, depression, attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity, oppositional disorder as well as conduct disorders. The psychological assessment can constitute an opportunity to identify and evaluate giftedness functioning in order to advise an adapted treatment in the guidance of these children and teenagers, and to guarantee them the most harmonious global development. MethodThe method used was that of a case study. was received within clinical research carried out at the University of Bordeaux for the realization of a psychological assessment. The objective of the assessment was to investigate and understand the polymorphic anxiety domain but also the impossibility for Minerva to attend middle school, with the result that she was home schooled with the National Center for Distance Learning (CNED). Over two half-days, we were able to successively carry out the anamnestic interview, a semi-structured interview, the K-SADS, the evaluation of cognitive functioning with the WISC-V, various projective tests such as the TAT, the Rorschach test, a drawing of a man and a family, as well as various scales in self and hetero-evaluation. ResultsThe K-SADS clarified the psychopathological situation as well as the family, social and school impact of this invasive case of anxiety. The results of the WISC-V showed an intellectual potential between 117 and 129, with areas of high efficiency for the Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI=146) and the Working Memory Index (WMI=122). The profile, although not reaching the recommended 130 in global IQ, is consistent with high intellectual potential when the performance is impacted by the situation of parasitic anxiety and a sedative medication. The projective tests as well as the drawings of the man and the family, demonstrated the extent of the considerable rigid defense mechanisms and of avoidance, but also of the hyper investment of the intellectualization processes. ConclusionThe screening of high intellectual potential represents a clinical challenge in view of the lack of diagnostic recommendations as well as the disparity of information accumulated in research on their characteristics. The holistic approach of the psychological assessment appears to be a solution allowing to situate the individual's psychic functioning in a constitutive zone of the "high intellectual potential" profile, which should also be at the service of the global therapeutic management.