The IQ profile (homogeneous versus heterogeneous) in children with high intellectual potential(HIP): what are the links with some emotional, interactional and neurodevelopmental disorders?

International audienceIntroductionIn clinical practice, some emotional, interactional and neurodevelopmental disorders are oftenobserved in children with high intellectual potential (HIP).ObjectivesThe homogeneity of the cognitive profile often accompanies a good daily adaptation, so wehypothesize that these disorders are more likely to affect children with HPI with a heterogeneousprofile than those with a homogeneous Wechsler-scale profile.This study aims to verify theseassumptions.MethodsAll children > 130 IQ, 7 to 15 years old were assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence scale forchildren. We have established two groups, homogeneous IQ profile group (HOIQ, n= 13) andheterogeneous IQ profile group (HEIQ, n= 24). The heterogeneous profile is defined by adifference of at least 23 points between the higher and the lower index score. It was alsoadministrated Barn-Cohen’s Empathizing Quotient (EQ) and Autism spectrum Quotient (AQ) tests,theMultiscore Depression Inventory for Children (MDI-C), the Beery Developmental Test ofVisual-Motor Integration (VMI), and a motor coordination test (jump) of the Vaivre-DouretNeuroPsychoMotor functions battery (NP-MOT).ResultsWe found significative differences (p≤.05) between the two groups: a higher score to the AQ test,a lower score of visuomotricity and motor coordination, higher scores of depression symptoms,in HEIQ group compared to HOIQ group.ConclusionsOur results confirm the higher frequency of disorders in the heterogeneous profile group than inthe homogeneous profile group. They could also provide indicators for making a differentialdiagnosis between the heterogeneous HPI group and people with high-level autism associatedwith HIP