Emotional/behavioral disabilities and gifted and talented behaviors: Paradoxical or semantic differences in characteristics?

The identification of gifted and talented behaviors within students who have an identified exceptionality has resulted in the questioning of traditional profiles of individuals qualifying for services within gifted and special education. Much of this reflection to date has been focused on the characteristics of gifted and talented behaviors exhibited by students with high incidence disabilities (learning disabilities and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders). Absent from the literature has been an examination of the learning and personal characteristics of students identified as having an emotional/behavioral disability who concurrently exhibit gifted and talented behaviors. An exploration of the growing body of literature in the fields of gifted and special education has revealed a number of similar or common characteristics in these two populations that warrant investigation. The purpose of this article is to develop a profile in the aforementioned population to aid in the identification of, and programming for, individuals with an emotional/behavioral disability who exhibit gifted and talented behaviors.