Giftedness and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Objective: Throughout the years, several myths have arisen suggesting that children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders possess unusually high abilities in specific domains, depending on the disorder. On the other hand, special skills and talents in children with neurodevelopmental disorders are most commonly overshadowed by their difficulties and overlooked. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the association between giftedness and neurodevelopmental disorders. Methods: The related articles published in PubMed, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, and Embase up to December 31, 2020, as well as their reference lists, were reviewed systematically. Results: A total of 6069 studies were scanned, and 32 of them (9904 subjects) were deemed eligible for this systematic review. Studies have supported associations between autism spectrum disorders and music ability. Contradictory results have been published regarding associations between giftedness, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and specific learning disorders. Diagnostic methods seemed to modify associations between giftedness and neurodevelopmental disorders. Conclusion: The dearth of the available evidence is prominent. More research is needed to investigate the field of dual exceptionality. Longitudinal studies are needed, addressing methodological challenges pertaining to variability in the definition of giftedness.