Journal of Gifted/Talented Education (영재교육연구)

The Korean Society for the Gifted (한국영재학회)
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How Does Giftedness Coexist with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)? Understanding the Cognitive Mechanism of Gifted ASD

영재성과 자폐성장애는 어떻게 공존하는가? 자폐성장애 영재의 인지메카니즘에 대한 이해

  • Received : 2011.07.30
  • Accepted : 2011.09.23
  • Published : 2011.09.30
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Abstract

It is hard to understand the coexistence of giftedness and disorder in an individual, but the twice-exceptional is widely recognized now. Gifted autistic spectrum disorder is one of its subtypes in which giftedness exists with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) simultaneously. Like other constructs including giftedness, the nature of gifted ASD has not been understood in a fundamental and wholistic manner. This paper suggests a cognitive mechanism of gifted ASD based on the integrated model of human abilities(Song, 2009; Song & Porath, 2005), which explains how giftedness coexists with ASD and interacts with each other, producing the characteristics of gifted individuals with ASD. According to the suggested mechanism, the excessive growth of mental spaces in the brain may cause ASD. The over-grown mental spaces result in excessively strong short-term sensory memory and better facility of processing, promoting internal cognitive activities on one hand, but relative lack of cognitive activities in the real world space results in ASD symptoms on the other hand. The cognitive structure of gifted ASD students also contributes to the presentation of giftedness in specific domains. This study suggests that gifted individuals with ASD need to be discouraged from fully engaging in domains they are interested in or the most confident of, rather to be encouraged to invest their giftedness to overcome their ASD symptoms. This study also provides new perspectives on theoretical and educational approaches for gifted ASD.

이중특수아동(twice-exceptional)이 존재한다는 사실은 역설적이지만 이제는 폭넓게 인식되어 있다. 그 중 한 유형인 자폐성장애 영재는 한 개인에게 자폐성장애와 영재성이 동시에 존재하는 현상이다. 영재성을 포함한 다른 인지현상들도 그렇지만 자폐성장애 또는 자폐성 장애 영재의 본질에 대한 근본적이고 전체적인 이해는 이루어지지 않고 있다. 이 논문은 한 인간능력 통합모델을 바탕으로 어떻게 영재성과 자폐성장애가 공존할 수 있으며, 어떻게 서로 상호작용하여 자폐성장애 영재의 특성을 생성해내는지를 보여주는 자폐장애성 영재의 인지 메카니즘을 제안하고 있다. 그 인지 메카니즘에 따르면 두뇌 인지공간의 과도한 성장은 자폐성장애를 초래하는 인지구조상의 원인으로 인지공간이 지나치게 커지면 단기 기억이 더 강해지고 인지처리가 더 용이해져 두뇌 내 인지활동을 더 많이 하고 잘하게 되지만 상대적으로 부족한 외부 현실세계 안에서의 사고가 줄어 자폐성장애의 특성을 보이게 된다. 이런 인지구조는 또한 자폐성장애 영재로 하여금 특정분야에서 영재성을 발현시키도록 작용한다. 이 논문은 자폐성장애 영재가 자신의 관심분야에 집착하여 영재성을 발현시키려는 노력을 제한하고, 대신 자신의 영재성을 자폐성장애를 극복하는데 사용하도록 교육할 것을 제안하고 있으며, 또한 자폐성장애 영재에 대한 기존의 이론적, 교육적 접근의 방식과는 다른 새로운 시각과 접근법을 제시하고 있다.

Keywords

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