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Alternative Classifications of Psychosocial Health at Work: Gifted People at Work

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Psychosocial Health, Work and Language

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Abstract

Why would we look at gifted people at work as a special group? Their characteristics may lead to specific unsatisfactory or difficult situations at work. Gifted people are here defined according Kooijman-van Thiel (Hoogbegaafd. Dat zie je zó! Over zelfbeeld en imago van hoogbegaafden. Gifted, obvious! On identity and self-image of Gifted Persons. OYA Productions, Ede, 2008): they are quick and intelligent thinkers, who can handle complex cases, are autonomous, curious and passionate by nature, are sensitive and emotional persons, intensely alive and enjoy being creative. Studying this group is a challenge, as there is no representative sample. The analysis relies here on qualitative analysis of various sources, notably case studies collected from gifted adults. In working environments attention for the following topics is important: making choices; communication with co-workers; communication with supervisors; psychosocial problems; how to tell about giftedness. Finally, insights from Positive Psychology help to cope more effectively with the characteristics of giftedness in all domains of life of the gifted, including psychosocial health at work.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Mensa is a worldwide association of people, who score in the upper 2 % of a valid intelligence test.

  2. 2.

    There are many intelligence tests that measure IQ, validated and not validated. One of the well-known validated tests for adults is the WAIS, Wechsler Adult Intelligence test.

  3. 3.

    See also Chap. 7 regarding depression (Editors’ note).

  4. 4.

    See Chap. 1 regarding the subjectivity toward situations (Editors’ note).

  5. 5.

    Regarding ASD, see Nauta & Ronner (2016).

  6. 6.

    See also Chap. 6 regarding this category (Editors’ note).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gifted Adults Foundation, Timorstraat 31, 2612 EH, Delft, The Netherlands

    Noks Nauta

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  1. Noks Nauta
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Correspondence to Noks Nauta .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre d’Études en Habitat Durable CEHD, Charleroi, Belgium

    Stéphanie Cassilde

  2. University François Rabelais of Tours VALLOREM EA 6296, Tours, France

    Adeline Gilson

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Nauta, N. (2017). Alternative Classifications of Psychosocial Health at Work: Gifted People at Work. In: Cassilde, S., Gilson, A. (eds) Psychosocial Health, Work and Language. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50545-9_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50545-9_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-50543-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-50545-9

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