Is It Normal for a Child to Have Existential Worries?
Certain degrees (Levels) of giftedness and personality profile go along with early existentialism
This post is a snippet from a podcast interview with Deborah Ruf (me) by Julia Krysztofiak-Szopa, for Julia’s podcast — Dzieci Zdolne — which means Gifted Children.
It’s 8 minutes and 37 seconds long. Aside from the short video podcast, I’ve added links for further reading and explanation if this is a topic that interests you.
Julia lives with her family in Poland and it was such a delight to get to know her. Like me, she has lots of thoughts and ideas and she loves to talk! Me, too. While my own children have been out of the nest for more than twenty years, she still has children at home. Her questions to me are mostly related to those listeners who are still raising their gifted children. But anything about gifted children really could pertain to your own background, you gifted adults out there!
Take a look and listen. I hope my answers here are useful to both readers and listeners.
Both of my 5 Levels of Gifted Books contain descriptions of existentialism.
The first edition of Losing Our Minds: Gifted Children Left Behind, 2005, was renamed with no other changes to 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options in 2009. Here are links to the 5 Levels of Gifted book on Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/5-levels-of-gifted-deborah-ruf/1126358834 and Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Levels-Gifted-School-Educational-Options/dp/0910707987 or directly from the publisher: https://www.giftedunlimitedllc.com/store/p12/5_Levels_of_Gifted.html
The 5 Levels of Gifted Children Grown Up: What They Tell Us (2023). Find on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Levels-Gifted-Children-Grown-Up/dp/B0C9SHFRLH or Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-5-levels-of-gifted-children-grown-up-phd-deborah-l-ruf/1143719859?ean=9798988323709. This is an 18 year longitudinal study follow-up about the original gifted child subjects in 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options (2005, 2009).
More References About Gifted Children, Adults and Existentialism
Davidson Institute (2020, July 9). Dabrowski’s theory and existential depression in gifted children and adults. Davidson Institute. https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/dabrowskis-theory-and-existential-depression-in-gifted-children-and-adults/
Constantin, Donnalin CL. “The Moderating Impact of Giftedness on the Relationship between Existential Anxiety, Authenticity, and Depression in College Students.” (2015). https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/etd/1108/
Rodríguez-Fernández, M. I., & Sternberg, R. J. (2024). The search for meaning in the life of the gifted. Gifted Education International, 40(2), 119–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/02614294231189923
Sisk D. (2008). Engaging the spiritual intelligence of gifted students to build global awareness in the classroom. Roeper Review, 30(1), 24–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/02783190701836296
Sternberg R. J., Rodríguez-Fernández M. I. (2023). Humanitarian giftedness. Gifted Education International 0(0). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/02614294231167749
Webb J. T. (2011, September 13). Existential depression in gifted individuals. Sengifted. https://www.sengifted.org/post/existential-depression-in-gifted-individuals
Webb J. T. (2013). Searching for meaning. Idealism, bright minds, disillusionment and hope. Great Potential Press.
Annie has been deeply grief striken and devastated, realising her beloved grandmother and me will die one day. I told her about heaven, which I don't believe in. If she can believe in it, she'll be happier in life.
I did. That’s mostly what I thought about but didn’t know the word.