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3.6.8 Cancelled
Social competence is vital for healthy development. Social competence involves both the absence of negative behaviors and the presence of positive behaviors; it also encompasses the verbal and nonverbal skills of “pragmatic language.” Even if able to use complex sentences, an individual who fails to master social language skills can suffer from impairments. Most studies of the psychological characteristics of students with high intelligence have not demonstrated clinical symptoms beyond those of the general population, yet the absence of clinical symptoms should not be equated with possessing social competence. This study highlights pragmatics as the missing piece in understanding social development of students with high intelligence.