Assessment of Children’s Fears: Impact of Cognitive Level

Abstract

The aim of this study is to contribute to the debate concerning the intensity of fears in high-IQ children. Many authors have pointed out that this population presents a particular psycho-affective profile that can lead to greater anxieties and fears. One hundred and one children (normal-IQ vs. high-IQ) were subjected to an adaptation of the Fear Inventory (FSSC-R; Inventaire des peurs de l’enfant, IPE-R). The results show that fear of danger and death is significantly more intense than all other fears in children aged 5 to 12. However, the pattern of results obtained did not differ according to the cognitive abilities of the children questioned. These results are important because they challenge the preconceived ideas conveyed in the media and by many practitioners who have made giftedness their stock-in-trade. If there is indeed a difference, it may be linked not to the children’s perception of their own emotional state but rather to its behavioral manifestations, which may be more intense in high-IQ children. These results are discussed in relation to the literature, and research perspectives are proposed.