Abstract
Friendship can be critical at any age but considering the gifts and challenges of twice-exceptional students, friends can be an essential element in navigating school years. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions that close friends of twice-exceptional students have about their friendship, characteristics, and how they relate to classmates and teachers. The sample was comprised of 17 students. Under a qualitative design, in-depth interviews were conducted with friends of students who were gifted with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or with autism spectrum disorder. Results showed a deep relationship, in which friends of twice-exceptional students were able to make a realistic depiction of them, which was based on empathy, common interests, and a connection that stems from facing adversity. The results are not only a contribution to current research but also take a positive and strengths-based angle not always found in the literature. Implications for practice and research were discussed.
Highlights
The conceptualization and understanding of twice-exceptional (2e) learners have been addressed by the literature, providing a characterization of this phenomenon at cognitive and socioemotional levels
This study aims to contribute to the current research about the social realm of 2e students, considering an approach that has not been taken before: to study the other side of the relationship, that is, the perceptions of friends about the relationship held with their 2e peers
Themes were grouped into three categories: friend’s depiction of the 2e student, relationship between friend and 2e student, and perceptions about the school context in which they are immersed
Summary
The conceptualization and understanding of twice-exceptional (2e) learners have been addressed by the literature, providing a characterization of this phenomenon at cognitive and socioemotional levels. Some authors have stressed the importance of defining 2e learners as those who (a) have a potential for high achievement or creativity that can be expressed in different domains and (b) manifest one or more learning disabilities and/or disorders. These characteristics blend to conform a unique set of traits (Baum et al, 2017). At the school level, there is an excessive tendency to focus on the deficits 2e students present, which is related to the academic realm and includes socioemotional issues (Baum et al, 2017). The 2e students are exposed to peer rejection (Hoza et al, 2005); there is still little research about the social experiences of 2e students (Fosenburg, 2018; Ronksley-Pavia & Townend, 2017)
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