A few months ago, I wrote a short piece about processing speed that found its way onto a Facebook group for parenting gifted and twice-exceptional children. The post was a response to an innocent question posed by a parent wondering why her child scored lower in this area on the WISC-V (Wechsler Scale of Intelligence). I was surprised to find more than 100 responses from the group. Apparently, I had touched a nerve.
Processing speed is a complex variable, especially for highly gifted and twice-exceptional children. Due to atypical neurodevelopment, these individuals experience asynchronous growth characterized by intense epigenetic signatures (sensory prints) and a delayed (but intense, and easily overwhelmed) limbic system. Some refer to this as hyper body/hyper mind.
The way these children intake and process information influences perceptions of their processing speed as measured both by formalized assessment and, in a more nuanced manner, by the daily requirements of institutionalized systems such as schools and the workplace.
If parents are unfamiliar with neurodiverse patterns of development, their expectations can run contrary to how gifted and 2e children process and manipulate information. As a result, many of these children and teens become frustrated, anxious, or even angry, and may react negatively when labels and expectations of performance are placed upon them.
So, why do highly gifted and 2e children often get low scores for processing speed? Let’s first take a brief look at what processing speed is and how it is measured.
Processing speed is determined by the ability to quickly and correctly scan, sequence, and/or discriminate visual information. It includes short-term visual memory, attention, and graphomotor processing, which measures both the mechanical and perceptual processes of scanning and organizing visual information. For highly gifted or 2e children displaying traits of hyper body/hyper mind, there are a number of triggers associated with the measurement:
1. Intense minds (those with ADHD or similar symptoms) may struggle with cognitive tempo due to distractibility and poor executive functioning, needed for focus and planning. This can also impair activation, or the ability to organize time in a schedule or calendar. It is a type of inertia influenced by a reluctance to do work (especially if perceived as busywork or uninteresting), confusion, anxiety, frustration, or boredom. Tasks associated with higher processing speeds generally do not call for deep thought, contemplation, or higher-order thinking skills that can engage the child. Rather, they require concentration and an effort which may not always be present. As a result, processing speed scores can be artificially deflated and may not always be the best indicator of how these children intake and store information.
2. In most cases, processing speed assessments require the use of a pencil and paper to complete. Many gifted and 2e students dislike using a pencil or may struggle with hand-eye coordination, and that slows them down. Within the WISC-V, processing speed is determined by two subtests: coding and symbol search. Children with fine motor challenges struggle with these assessments because they require pencil to paper tasks and rapid differentiation of abstract symbols.
[perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Processing speed scores can be artificially deflated and may not always be the best indicator of how these children intake and store information.[/perfectpullquote]
3. Many gifted children, especially those who display traits of perfectionism, like to check their work for accuracy and thus may deliberately move slowly to make sure they are doing things correctly. In timed assessment models, this will reflect poorly on the actual scoring.
4. Processing speed is measured through timed assessments that do not allow the child to accommodate for any of the above issues or to think through the tasks at hand. Any timed assessment, whether an IQ test or a school assessment, puts the highly gifted or 2e child at risk. There are those in the field that describe this as immoral, as it artificially deflates scores, test results, and, in many cases, prevents the children who need services the most from receiving them.
5. Processing speed is related to immediate recall, and gifted and 2e kids tend to accumulate information rapidly but do not always store that information properly. I call it the messy filing cabinet theory. The material is there, it just takes extra time to organize, recall, and in some cases sift through the varying solutions that arise to come up with the best answer. Gifted children can overanalyze and thus be unfairly labeled as slow processors when, in fact, they are actually dissecting all the options before making a proper judgement.
6. Finally, processing speed, as with all executive functioning skills, derives from a healthy limbic system that may not always be present in gifted and especially twice-exceptional individuals. Organizing, prioritizing, planning, emotional regulation, structure, and even language development stem from the limbic system and can be related to how one processes information in a timely manner.
Taking all of these potential issues into account makes it clear how processing speed can be a problem for neurodiverse children as they manage the daily requirements of school (timed tests, due dates, multiple classroom assignments, quick question/answer sessions, etc.) or even the expectations set upon them in a variety of social settings.
What can be done?
From a societal standpoint, we need to reframe our understanding of processing speed. From a standardized assessment perspective, we need to adjust how we assess our gifted and 2e children and how we measure their intellectual potential.
We also need to develop patience for and acceptance of how our children think and process information. In a society characterized by instant gratification or immediate response, we need to slow down and allow our children to think, evaluate, assess, and create. I have worked with a number of children who, when given proper time, space, and understanding, have exhibited an extraordinary talent in creating new visions, ideas, perspectives, and products.
Ultimately, we need to reassess the way schools operate. Do away with timed assessments, busywork, continual repetition, outdated homework policies, etc. and focus on the individual growth of each of our students against individualized standards of potential.
Finally, as parents, teachers, and caregivers, we need to continually advocate for our gifted and twice-exceptional children by teaching them metacognition, self-advocacy, communication skills, character development, executive functioning skills, and resilience.
