Twice, Thrice, and Multi Exceptionality (2e, 2e+, 3e, Multi-e)
According to the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) the term twice exceptional (2e) was coined to reflect being gifted with the potential for high achievement or expression of one’s area/s of talent, while also demonstrating one or more disabilities, defined by federal or state eligibility criteria. These include specific learning disabilities, speech and language disorders, emotional/behavioral disorders, physical disabilities, autism spectrum, or other neurological conditions such as AD/HD. One can be gifted AND have one or more co-existing challenges or exceptionalities such as AD/HD, Anxiety, Learning or Physical challenges, OCD, Misophonia or Sensory Processing issues, or Autism or others.
Having more than one domain of outlier functioning, or spheres that qualify as a disability, is termed Multiexceptional. When additional social, racial, economic, identity, orientation, or other dimensions add complexity, we refer to this as 3e or 2e2.
Giftedness commonly co-occurs with or may be differentiated from
- AD/HD-Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
- Allergies
- Anxiety
- Auditory Processing Challenges
- Autism Spectrum
- Bipolar Disorder
- Conduct Disorder
- Creativity
- Depression-Existential Depression
- Emotional Regulation challenges (Intensity)
- Executive Functioning issues
- Heightened Ethical, Justice or Moral orientation
- Learning Disabilities
- LGBTQIA2S+
- Loneliness
- Low Self-esteem
- Misophonia, Misokinesia
- OCD-Obsessive Compulsive Disorder/Personality
- ODD- Oppositional Defiance Disorder
- Perfectionism
- Physical restlessness
- Sensory Processing issues or disorder
- Substance use
- Visual Processing Challenges
The majority of my clientele are gifted, 2e, 3e, or are multiexceptional. As a culture dominated by the medical model of fixing problems, most of them come to me for evaluation or support of their AD/HD or Sensory Processing/Misophonia, and may even have had neuropsychological testing that quantifies intellectual giftedness, but very few have even heard or uttered the word ‘gifted’ with respect to themselves. Even fewer understand the complex interplay between their strengths and their challenges, or that in some cases, their challenges have been misdiagnosed or not recognized as characteristics of being gifted. It becomes a welcome focus of our work to separate out and honor one’s traits, not as merely problems to be fixed, but rather opportunities or needs to be fulfilled. Rebalancing the system to provide scaffolding, skills or shifts in thinking, or to introduce behavioral choices, or find like-minded community often helps diffuse the intensity of being different.
I work with multi exceptional individuals, families, elders, offer a parent support group, consult, write, educate and advocate on the topic of giftedness, 2e+.
Contact our office to get started.