A Global Leader in Assessment, Development & Research of the Gifted since 1979
Since 1979, Gifted Development Center (GDC) has served as a global leader in the assessment and development of gifted individuals of all ages. We support giftedness throughout the lifespan. Through our work, we have changed the lives of over 6,600 gifted individuals and their families worldwide. We also build awareness and understanding of giftedness, through research and development of national policy.
In our work with children, our philosophy is child-centered: we put your child first. We focus on understanding your child’s inner world (overexcitabilities, emotions, perceptions, relationships, personality, etc.), rather than on his or her potential for success. We see giftedness as a pervasive way of being in the world. Dr. Linda Silverman is a founding member of the Columbus Group, which created the definition of giftedness of asynchronous development.
Giftedness does not end in childhood. Gifted adults also need recognition and services. Our public non-profit organization, Institute for the Study of Advanced Development (ISAD), views advanced development as the strengthening of one's values, broadening of one's scope of responsibility, consciousness of the meaning of one's existence, concern for others, and commitment to service.
Giftedness in Adults Rating Scale
Here is the Giftedness in Adults Rating Scale for you to take if you’d like to find out what the characteristics of giftedness in adults are and to determine if you’re a gifted adult. If you endorsed 28 descriptors of the 38-item scale (a score of 4 or 5), then you are likely a gifted adult.
We provide books, articles and Advanced Development to educate the public about the needs of gifted children and adults. We are committed to assessing and developing the inner lives of the gifted.
We are committed to assessing and developing the inner lives of the gifted.
We are committed to assessing and developing the inner lives of the gifted.
Pre-Consultation Information
Before we meet your family, we ask that you complete a set of research-based evaluations so that we can get a comprehensive picture of your child. You know your child best and these forms will tell us their story.
Announcements
Announcements
On February 19, 2025, Dr. F. Richard Olenchak of Purdue University was appointed Director of Research for Gifted Development Center/Institute for the Study of Advanced Development (GDC/ISAD).
Rick is a distinguished educator and psychologist who holds multiple professorships at Purdue University. With a PhD in Educational Psychology, he specializes in Giftedness and Talent Development. Formerly a Department Chair and Associate Provost at the University of Houston, Rick has presided over various educational organizations, including as past president of NAGC. An accomplished author, he’s penned over 100 publications, earning accolades for books such as Social-Emotional Curriculum with Gifted and Talented Students. His research spotlights the importance of “hope” in holistic student development, emphasizing his commitment to understanding twice exceptional students.
In 2024, as a guest editor for Roeper Review on “Often Overlooked Multiple Exceptionalities,” Rick invited Linda Silverman to contribute an article on “The Overlooked Role of Modalities in Multi-Exceptional Children.” Rick will be replacing the late Dr. R. Frank Falk, who served as Director of Research since our inception. Research proposal guidelines and confidentiality agreements were developed to enable graduate students and researchers to have access to the data.
Rick will be approving research proposals, supervising research interns, preserving and digitizing the database, publishing articles and presenting research papers at conferences based on the data, securing grants, and responding to international inquiries regarding research findings.
Join our founder, Dr. Linda Silverman, as she takes you on a guided tour of our history, mission, and the valuable resources available on our website in this video.
Advanced Development Journal
Advanced Development Journal
Volume 19 now available!
Authors, poets, and artists throughout the volume address the theme, “The Journey towards Transcendence.”
In Vol. 19 you will learn about self-transcendence, self-understanding, spiritual sensitivity, and emotional/moral development and the creative personality.
There are also book reviews on topics related to transcendence as well as to gifted elders, emotional sensitivity and intensity, personality development through positive disintegration, and how to find a deeper relationship with all life.
Have you read Giftedness 101?
Giftedness 101 dispels common myths about giftedness, challenges the view that eminence is the true signifier of giftedness, provides support for the twice exceptional, offers specific guidelines to parents and teachers, describes comprehensive assessment of the gifted, and focuses on the complex inner world of the gifted.
In Giftedness 101, giftedness is defined as a psychological reality with powerful ramifications throughout the lifespan. A much-needed book on the psychology of giftedness rather than eminence, there are 37 pages of references to support the view that giftedness is a different way of experiencing.
This 290-page book, published by Springer Publishing, New York, passionately reflects Linda Silverman's 50 years of experience in the field.
Visit our store for more reading material for gifted children and adults
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Visit our store for more reading material for gifted children and adults 〰️
Visit our store for more reading material for gifted children and adults
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Visit our store for more reading material for gifted children and adults 〰️
GDC NEWSLETTER
