Investigation of parental stress in parents of children with high intellectual potential

This study explored parental stress among 121 mothers of adolescents with high intellectual potential (HIP, n = 35), twice-exceptional (TE, n = 35), adolescents with disorders (D, n = 21), and typical adolescents (CG, n = 28), using the SIPA questionnaire. It is the first French study to examine stress in mothers of TE adolescents, who combine giftedness with neurodevelopmental disorders. Results revealed significantly higher stress levels in mothers of TE and D adolescents compared to CG, with TE mothers approaching clinical thresholds. Stress was most pronounced in areas linked to adolescent characteristics (e.g., emotional instability, academic disengagement) and parental challenges (e.g., life restrictions). HIP mothers reported stress levels similar to CG overall but experienced higher stress in the “Life Restrictions” domain. These findings underscore the need for tailored interventions to support maternal well-being and address the unique challenges of parenting TE adolescents, emphasizing the importance of further longitudinal studies.