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angelahousand.com

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Graduated and Got a Job… Watson College of Education Angela Housand, Ph.D. housanda@uncw.edu

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Sensory Processing Sensi-vity • High levels of sensi-vity to subtle s-muli • Easily over-­‐aroused by external s-muli

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Sensory Sensi-vity • Greater CNS Arousal – Show greater responsiveness to sensory s-muli in all sensory modali-es – Emits more voluntary motor ac-vity – More reac-ve emo-onally • Might also explain psychomotor and emo-onal overexcitability

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Sensory Sensitivity• Anxiety • Relationship anxiety• Social phobia • Behavioral inhibition• Avoidant personality • High stress levels disorder • Ill-health

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Gifted StudentsHeightenedexperience of theirworldQualitativelydifferent experiencethan their age-peers

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Gifted StudentsIntense sensitivityHeightenedemotional andbehavioralresponses

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Sensory Sensi-vity of GiCed • Tested giCed vs. normed sample on the Sensory Profile (Dunn, 1999) • Significant differences on 12 of 14 sensory sec-ons between groups • GiCed children are more sensi-ve to their physical environment • More affected by sensory s-muli

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Gifted Students• Anxiety• Social Phobia• Higher Stress Levels• Behavioral Inhibition• Ill-health

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Gifted Students• Anxiety• Social Phobia• Higher Stress Levels• Behavioral Inhibition• Ill-health

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Evidence to theContrary…Bracken & Brown, 2006Cross, Cassady, Dixon, & Adams, 2008Grobman, 2006Martin, Burns, & Schonlau, 2009Norman, Ramsay, Martray, & Roberts, 1999Reynolds & Bradley, 1983Richards, Encel, & Shute, 2003Zeidner & Shani-Zinovich, 2011

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Catalyst for… Advanced Achievement & Creative Productivity

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Characteris-cs of People with High Sensory Sensi-vity • Sense of being different • Need to take frequent breaks during busy days • Conscious arrangement of lives to reduce s-mula-on & unwanted surprise

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Characteris-cs of People with High Sensory Sensi-vity • Sense that difficul-es stemmed from fear of failure due to overarousal – While being observed – Feeling judged – During compe--on

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Why address sensory sensitivity?

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Why address sensory sensitivity?• To reduce stressors• To positively enhance the experience of the highly sensitive gifted individual• To be responsive to unique needs• To promote healthy working environments• To increase the sustainability of focus and effort in productive endeavors

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Unlocking Emergent Talent More Than Ability is Required: Psychosocial Issues and Skills Needed for Success The Important Role of Non-Cognitive Factors in High Achievement

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Does sensory sensitivitypredict anxiety?Are there differencesbetween groups onmeasures of sensorysensitivity and anxiety?

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Sample• Summer Enrichment Programs = 4• West Coast and East Coast• n = 198• Grades 3 through 13• Ages 8-18

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Data GatheredInstruments Demographics• Revised Children’s • Age Manifest Anxiety Scale • Grade (RCMAS-2) (Reynolds & Richmond, 2008) • Gender • Ethnic Background• Highly Sensitive Person’s Scale (HSPS) (Aron & Aron, 1997)

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Data GatheredRCMAS-2 HSPS• Total Anxiety (TOT) • Ease of Excitation• Physiological Anxiety (EOE) (PHY) • Aesthetic• Worry (WOR) Sensitivity (AES)• Social Anxiety (SOC) • Low Sensory Threshold (LST)• Inconsistent Responding• Defensiveness

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RCMAS-2 Represents all of the measures as aTotal Anxiety TOT combined score.Physiological Addresses somatic concerns PHYAnxiety (e.g. sleep difficulties, nausea, fatigue) Obsessive concerns. High score suggests one may be afraid, nervous, or in someWorry WOR manner oversensitive to environmental pressures.Social Anxiety SOC Anxiety in social and performance situations.

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HSPSEase of Becoming mentally overwhelmed by external EOEExcitation and internal demands.Low Sensory Unpleasant sensory arousal to external LSTThreshold stimuli.Aesthetic AES Aesthetic awarenessSensitivity

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Get My Geek On…• Checked distribution• Checked correlations – Moderate and significant• Checked HSPS model fit using CFA

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Get My Geek On…• Checked distribution• Checked correlations – Moderate and significant• Checked HSPS model fit using CFA

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Correlations PSY WOR SOC EOE AES LSTPSY 1WOR .66 1SOC .58 .76 1EOE .52 .60 .47 1AES .25 .34 .27 .54 1LST .47 .47 .36 .58 .42 1

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Anxiety Moderately Problematic

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Extremely Problematic

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Regression Analysis• Total Anxiety (TOT) as Dependent• Controlled for race, age, & gender – Not significant contributors• Ease of Excitation – Significant (p = .001) – 37% of the variance

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Regression Analysis• Low Sensory Threshold – Significant (p ≤ .001) – Additional 3% of the variance• Aesthetic Sensitivity – Not significant

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1: Week-Long Residential

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Group Gifted Description Identification• n = 49 • Identified by school• Grades 3-14 testing• Ages 8-18 • Private testing• 32 Males • Characteristics of• 16 Females gifted students as identified by parents

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Goals of Program 1• Provide opportunity for gifted youth to: – Spend time with others who share their characteristics and interests – Interact with adults who understand them• Allow gifted youth to: – Be themselves – Engage in interesting activities – Connect with others

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2: Elementary Choice Regional School District and UniversityTeacher Preparation Program Partnership

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Group Gifted Description Identification• n = 60 • Identified by District• Grades 5-6 • Screening Indicators:• Ages 9-11 • Teacher recommendations• 32 Males • Parent referrals• 28 Females • Standardized test scores • Identified in another district • Work samples

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Goals of Program 2• Mentor and train teachers to serve gifted students in educational settings• Provide gifted elementary students with academically rigorous enrichment learning opportunities• Allow students to choose enrichment opportunity based on interest

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3: Middle School Choice Regional School District and UniversityTeacher Preparation Program Partnership

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Group Gifted Description Identification• n = 41 • Identified by District• Grades 7-9 • Screening Indicators:• Ages 11-13 • Teacher recommendations• 19 Males • Parent referrals• 22 Females • Standardized test scores • Identified in another district • Work samples

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Goals of Program 3• Mentor and train teachers to serve gifted students in educational settings• Provide gifted middle school students with academically rigorous enrichment learning opportunities• Allow students to choose enrichment opportunity based on interest

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4: STEM FocusFor Students from Economically Deprived and Diverse Communities

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Diverse Student Attributes• Perform poorly in • Excel in math & math & science science• Rarely take • Need additional advanced courses support to enhance required to attend skills and interests in college STEM• Have low literacy rates

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Goals of Program 4• Motivate underrepresented students’ interests in learning by engaging them in real-world, hands on, field experiences.• Utilize technologies and books to help enhance students’ literacy skills.• Spark interest in STEM

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Ethnic DiversityWhite 41 44 30 0Asian 1 6 6 0Black / African 2 7 3 40AmericanHispanic / Latino / 1 1 1 1LatinaAmerican Indian / 0 0 1 2Alaska NativeOther 3 2 2 3

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Ethnic DiversityWhite 86% 73% 70% 0Asian 2% 10% 14% 0Black / African 4% 12% 7% 87%AmericanHispanic / Latino / 2% 2% 2% 2%LatinaAmerican Indian / 0 0 2% 4%Alaska NativeOther 6% 3% 5% 7%

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Ethnic DiversityWhite 86% 73% 70% 0Asian 2% 10% 14% 0Black / African 4% 12% 7% 87%AmericanHispanic / Latino / 2% 2% 2% 2%LatinaAmerican Indian / 0 0 2% 4%Alaska NativeOther 6% 3% 5% 7%

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Group Comparisons• Multivariate Analysis – Bonferroni adjustment• Main Effects – Statistically significant differences between groups on Anxiety sub- scales (PSY, WOR, & SOC) – Not so on Sensory Sensitivity

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Physiological .319 -2.12 -2.48 0AnxietyWorry 2.17 -.48 -.62 0Social Anxiety 2.41 -.57 -.56 0Ease of Excitation .50 -.74 -.52 0Low Sensory 1.55 -.21 -.44 0ThresholdAesthetic 2.367 .85 .11 0Sensitivity

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What can we do tosupport those who haveheightened sensorysensitivities or sufferfrom anxiety?

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Support Autonomy• Consider Individualized Learning Opportunities• Encourage Them to Pursue OWN Interests• Highlight Uniqueness without Comparison

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• Explicitly teach and prac-ce breathing techniques • Focus on exhaling • Sigh… • Remember to breath in through the nose!

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Mindfulness:Practice of Being Present• Pick a location• Choose a seat

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Mindfulness:Practice of Being Present• Posture – Relaxed and Upright – A string? – A tree?

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Mindfulness:Practice of Being Present• Wandering Mind? Bring it back.• Watch the breath – Baby Bear Attention – Not “making” it happen but “letting” it happen

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Mindfulness:Practice of Being Present• Witness Thoughts• Let Go – not of the thoughts, but rather the judgment• Seeking acceptance of what is

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Mindfulness:Practice of Being Present Practice Daily 10-15 20-30 45-60 Minutes Minutes Minutes

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Sensory Threshold Con-nuum Sensi-za-on Habitua-on

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Someone HasSoiled the Air! Offensive S-muli • Loud or sudden noises • Strong odors – Molds – Perfumes • Rough textures or fabrics – Clothing tags • Sharp edges – Angular furniture

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Avoid Perfume and Fragrant Lotion

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Rugs and Fabric Wall Art Reduce Noise

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Sharp Edges Activate the Amygdala…the part of the brain that registers threat

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Offensive S-muli • Visual overload – Certain color satura-on and hue – Manmade materials – Unorganized space – Low ceilings • Bright Light – Glare – Fluorescent ligh-ng

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• A controlled color vocabulary is essen-al in crea-ng a sense of place • Low screeners perform beaer in blue work spaces • Feelings of emo-onal control are stronger in monochroma-c spaces than in vibrant colorful spaces • Mean blood pressure readings 9% lower than white classroom

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Provide a Cohesive Color Palette

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White was rejected…

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Color: Red Hue• Workers in red offices reported more feelings of dysphoria than workers in blue offices• More confusion and tension reported• Lower performance for low screeners

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Great for some students…

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Visual Order

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Avoid hanging items from the CeilingCeiling height is ranked among top 3 architecturaldetails that influence psychological well being.

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Both Well-Lit and Dimly-LitNotice the use of natural materials...

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Glare Reduction with Visual Access

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Brief Interac-ons with Nature • Increase Cogni-ve Control • Reduce Hos-lity, Aggression, and Violence • Assist in Recovery from Mental Fa-gue

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Indoor Gardens…

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Privacy provides the opportunity for…Retreat, Reflection, and Relaxation

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The opportunity for recovery when onebecomes overstimulated by environment

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As simple as a quiet corner…

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Technology in Students’ HandsEmpowers students to feel more in control.

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Thank You!