How do I know if I have High Intellectual Potential (HPI)?

2023-07-30 08:00:00

Made famous by the HPI seriesfeaturing actress Audrey Fleurot in the main role ofa woman with high intellectual potentialthis feature fascinates as much as it questions the general public ! We take stock of the matter with neuropsychologist Paola Scemama Ittah.

Being HPI what does it mean?

HPI is the acronym for High intellectual potential. This term is used to describe people who have an Intelligence Quotient (IQ) greater than 130. It is important to emphasize that the high intellectual potential is not a problem but rather a feature and a specific mode of operation. Paola Scemama Ittah reminds us: “The average IQ is between 90 et 110. If today the term high intellectual potential is used a little wrongly and through, previously we spoke rather of gifted people or with a high IQbut nowadays HPI is more used.” Provided you use the term wisely…

Online quizzes and tests for determine if one is HPI are to be avoided. They abound on the Internet but they are not reliable. In reality only psychologists are authorized to carry out these tests to their offices. They calculate the correct IQ by following a very specific process detailed by the clinical psychologist : “To know if one is HPI, one must pass a psychometric assessment which makes it possible to evaluate people according to a figure, itself reported on a Gaussian curve. Ensuite, we evaluate several types of scales : verbal reasoning, perceptual reasoning, spatial visuo, memory and processing speed. To be considered HPI, the results obtained must be homogeneous on this curve. If there is not too much difference between the scales, that the IQ is validated and above 130 then the person is considered to be HPI.“

We tend to believe that there is irrefutable signs of HPI. Some people call themselves HPI because they feel of think faster or to be more sensitive than others on a daily basis. In reality, this is not always the case and it is not possible to detect your HPI on your own before having carried out a real test in the office, supervised by a therapist. On the other hand, according to Paola Scemama Ittah: “Au daily, leople with HPI can be more resilient, better analyze a situation, have better reasoning and memorization skills. their cognitive abilities, focus and concentration can also be different. People who have HPI may have more advanced analytical thinking and sometimes greater creativity but there are no irrefutable signs to self-analyze as HPI“.

If you have questions about his possible high intellectual potentialthe best is to consult a psychologist or a therapist in order to ask him the appropriate questions and to pass the evaluation tests which cost on average 200€. It is important to realize that being HPI is not a quest or a goal to rise socially: “It’s not because we think too much, that we have trouble sleeping, that we have a tree-like thought or because his child has attention disorders that it is necessarily HPI. Today we are witnessing an important craze and a fashion phenomenon around the HPI which has become a kind of absolute grail.” So if you really think you’re HPI and you really want to be fixed, you don’t hesitate to trust the professionals of psychometric assessment by going to a psychologist’s office.

thanks to Paola Scemama Ittahneuropsychologist and clinical psychologist for his expertise, to learn even more about psychology, go to his Instagram account: