BY HOLDEN AGUIRRE
According to the National Association for Gifted Children, nearly 20 percent of gifted children experience perfectionism to the point where it impedes their growth and negatively affects the way in which they perceive themselves.
I thought perfectionism was a good thing, the quality in a person that fueled the final touches on an artistic masterpiece or scored the winning point at the World Series. However, the exact opposite is often true, wherein perfectionism, can act as a freezing agent in the brain ruled by a little voice saying “if you can’t do it perfectly, you shouldn’t even bother.”
We all have this perfectionism monster inside of us (why do you think it took me so long to write this article?), and we all deal with it in different ways, but for the gifted child, perfectionism can wreak havoc on their potential.
Studies have shown, gifted and talented children are more susceptible to mental illness like anxiety and depressive disorders, with perfectionism acting as a precursor. Gifted children, and perhaps parents as well at times, may believe that they have to be perfect and only achieve at the highest level. Of course, this is an impossible task and is detrimental to talented children who are already facing a number of other obstacles.
When I decided to return to college, my perfectionism turned into procrastination. Even after being in college for years, perfectionism still poses a challenge when it comes to being creative or productive. However, it has gotten better, but not without acquiring the proper psychological tool kit and reaching out for help to combat it.
I’m an adult (legally-speaking), so it’s much easier for me, at points, to be proactive about issues that present themselves over the course of my educational journey. For gifted and talented children, it’s not so simple, but it could be.
Parents and educators alike, must equip themselves with the knowledge to identify and nurture the minds of these children. Each child’s circumstances are unique, requiring a different interpretation of needs for each case.
I think this concern is especially important in those zip codes with kids who are underrepresented, and underserved in the gifted and talented demographic, mainly Black and Hispanic communities.
When resources are limited, the community is paramount in helping children manage their perfectionism. One effective way of doing this is through modeling behavior. I think the need to be perfect intensifies as we age due to increasing societal pressures. Parents, and educators, learning to deal with unhealthy perfectionism within themselves will also help students succeed in the long run.
FURTHER READING
Perfectionism (NAGC)
Perfectionism Is Increasing, and That’s Not Good News (Harvard Business Review)
Holden Aguirre
Holden Aguirre is a Journalism Major at San Francisco State University minoring in LGBT Studies. As someone who thrives in a diverse environment, Holden transferred from American River College in Sacramento to pursue interests in film, music, the arts, and education.
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