Overexcitabilities are inborn intensities indicating a heightened ability to respond to stimuli. Found to a greater degree in creative and gifted individuals, overexcitabilities are expressed in increased sensitivity, awareness, and intensity, and represent a real difference in the fabric of life and quality of experience.
Psychomotor Overexcitability: heightened excitability of neuromuscular system…derive great joy from their boundless physical and verbal enthusiasm and activity.
Sensual Overexcitability: Increased and early appreciation of aesthetic pleasures such as music, language, and art, and derive endless delight from tastes, smells, textures, sounds, and sights…may also feel over stimulated or uncomfortable with sensory input.
Intellectual Overexcitability: marked need to seek understanding and truth, to gain knowledge, and to analyze and synthesize…incredibly active minds. Intensely curious, often avid readers, usually keen observers…able to concentrate, engage in prolonged intellectual effort, and are tenacious in problem solving whenever they choose.
Imaginational Overexcitability: heightened play of the imagination with rich association of images and impressions, frequent use of image and metaphor, facility for invention and fantasy, detailed visualization, and elaborate dreams…mix truth with fiction, or create their own private worlds with imaginary companions and dramatizations to escape boredom.
Emotional Overexcitability: heightened, intense feelings, extremes of complex emotions, identification with others’ feelings, and strong affective expression. Other manifestations include physical responses like stomachaches and blushing or concern with death and depression…remarkable capacity for deep relationships; they show strong emotional attachments to people, places, and things.
General strategies
Discuss the Concept of Overexcitability
Focus on the Positives
Cherish and Celebrate Diversity
Use and Teach Clear Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Skills
Teach Stress Management from Toddlerhood On
Create a Comforting Environment Whenever Possible
Help to Raise Awareness of One’s Behaviors and Their Impact on Others
Remember the Joy
Living and Learning with Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities by Cindy Strickland Classroom Unit Title:
Living and Learning with Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities OR “I Can’t Help It – I’m Overexcitable!”
PROFILE OF CLASS
This unit was written for use in a pull-out setting for gifted students at the middle school level, although
most of the activities would also be appropriate for high school students and even some upper elementary
students. The unit is designed to take about 3 weeks, meeting approximately one 50-minute period per day.
Teachers may pick and choose activities to make the unit longer or shorter.
Serving Granite School District Granite Association for Gifted Children c/o Granite District, Gifted & Talented Dept 2500 South State Street Salt Lake City, UT 84115
