An Interview with Justin Duplantis on the Gifted Young (Part Four)
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2020/05/22
Abstract
Justin Duplantis is a Member of the Triple Nine Society and the current Editor of its journal entitled Vidya. He discusses: nurturance of the young and gifted; differentiation based on learning styles; schooling and moral education; synchrony difficulties; the pervasively intelligent child; nutritional and health habits; social life; guidance in early relationships for boy-boy, girl-girl, or boy-girl time; and modelling healthy relationships by example.
Keywords: gender, gifted, health, Justin Duplantis, nutrition, synchrony difficulties, Triple Nine Society, young.
An Interview with Justin Duplantis on the Gifted Young: Editor, Vidya (Part Four)[1],[2]*
*Please see the footnotes, bibliography, and citation style listing after the interview.*
1. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What about the nurturance of the young and highly intelligent? You have children. How should this be done and with the proper care of a benevolent parent or guardian?
Justin Duplantis: I would hardly consider myself an expert in this realm. I have three and four year old boys. Both are members of Mensa. They joined a year ago. For me, the key was identifying their giftedness early. This enables them to ascertain the proper resources during this critical developmental time. With that said, they are very different. Although they are both highly gifted, they have unique challenges and interests.
2. Jacobsen: For girls and boys, should there be gender differences in the style of the gifted education?
Duplantis: I do not feel as though it is so much as a question of gender, rather the necessity of differentiation based upon learning style. My oldest is able to hear information once and retain, as opposed to my youngest. He requires more tactical learning, to stay engaged. This may be due to the 18 month age separation, but I feel it is personality characteristics.
3. Jacobsen: For girls and boys, how should schooling and moral education in the home reflect the level of giftedness – highly, exceptionally, profoundly, etc.?
Duplantis: It is vital for parents to be well-informed regarding the characteristics of gifted youth. Generally speaking, the higher the intelligence, the more exaggerated the characteristics. My eldest, Anderson, is stereotypical. He is emotional sensitive, has a strong moral compass, and requires positive reinforcement. My younger boy, Crawford, does not share these. Although they may share a high level of intelligence, they are still very different.
4. Jacobsen: What are some of the synchrony difficulties gifted adolescents may experience as they travel through the turbulent and rapid changes of the teenage years?
Duplantis: Acceptance in society and social groups is tough for any adolescent, but when there is a significant variance in intelligence with your “peers”, it creates an additional challenge. Just as someone that has an IQ of 60 would have a difficulty in societal integration, an individual with an IQ of 140+ would face different, but similar issues. There are resources that aid the mentally challenged with these sort of difficulties, yet assistance for the exceptionally gifted is nonexistent. This is what I hope to change.
5. Jacobsen: For the pervasively intelligent child, how can adults in their lives help them form confidence based on real talents and competencies?
Duplantis: The key is acceptance and support. When a child shows interest in whatever it may be, the parents need to ensure they provide the proper resources to harness their potential. At the same time, pushing them into an area of disinterest is just as harmful as lacking support in areas that they would like to pursue.
6. Jacobsen: What about the nutritional and health habits for them? This one is probably more general. How can a parent assist the gifted child have appropriate nutrition to perform optimally in school and have the energy to do kid and teenager stuff throughout the day?
Duplantis: Health and nutrition habits are not intellectually dependent. Regardless of intelligence, proper nutrition is necessary for mental and physical development and maintenance.
7. Jacobsen: Social life may be a neglected part of the lives of the young gifted. Based on personal experience in the Triple Nine Society, or through reading and conversations with other gifted individuals, does this reflect a common problem? Is social life a concern for the gifted more than others because of a trend of isolation, or not?
Duplantis: The lacking of a traditional social life seems to absolutely be a common thread among the exceptionally gifted. The reason I say traditional, is because many times there are nontraditional relationships forged. At times socialization is between intellectual peers. Often times there is a substantial age differential, which creates its own challenges. The further from the mean an individual is in intelligence, the more difficult it is to have the traditional relationships.
8. Jacobsen: What about when it comes boy-boy, girl-girl, or boy-girl time for the gifted adolescent and young adult? How can a parent or a guardian guide and nurture healthy relations at those crucial periods of early life?
Duplantis: I have yet to enter that stage with my two boys, so I am unsure how we will aid in navigating our boys through those treacherous waters. With that said, I would recommend starting early with reiterating different is not damaged. Embracing the unique qualities of others aids in the establishment and maintaining of relationships, regardless of gender.
9. Jacobsen: Following from the previous question, how can parents model healthy relations?
Duplantis: Leading by example. If we call for our children to be accepting of the differences of others, we must practice what we preach. If our children see us judging others, they will follow suit and vice versa.
Appendix I: Footnotes
[1] Editor, Vidya, Triple Nine Society; Member, Executive Committee, Triple Nine Society.
[2] Individual Publication Date: May 22, 2020: http://www.in-sightjournal.com/duplantis-four; Full Issue Publication Date: September 1, 2020: https://in-sightjournal.com/insight-issues/.
*High range testing (HRT) should be taken with honest skepticism grounded in the limited empirical development of the field at present, even in spite of honest and sincere efforts. If a higher general intelligence score, then the greater the variability in, and margin of error in, the general intelligence scores because of the greater rarity in the population.
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