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The purpose of this study was to determine whether classroom teachers are effective at referring African American students to gifted and talent education programs. Recognizing the important role that classroom teachers play in the referral of students to gifted and talented education programs, this replicated study questioned elementary, middle, and high school classroom teachers to determine their perceptions and ideas in reference to what constitutes students’ giftedness. Classroom teachers were asked to respond to two questionnaires to define their general and specific perceptions of giftedness and to determine whether their perceptions of African American students’ giftedness were dissimilar to those of giftedness among other ethnic groups. Thraikill (1999) developed a two-part survey that the researcher used to collect data. Forms A and B were slightly revised to examine the extent of 169 teachers’ general and specific perceptions of giftedness in reference to African American students. Among the chosen four traits that the classroom teachers most often selected as indicating either general or specific giftedness in reference to African American students were thinking “outside of the box,” followed by advanced logic and problem-solving ability. Classroom teachers’ years of experience and grade level taught did not considerably affect the teachers’ perceptions of important traits. Results showed that classroom teachers referred African American students at an efficiency rate of 51% compared to White students. In addition, the African American students passed at a lower rate than their White counterparts. A difference also existed in the number of girls and boys who passed the gifted screening. Boys were referred and passed the screening more often than girls. Classroom teachers’ general perception of giftedness of African American students is fairly consistent in their rating of the 20 possible traits. Results showed that the classroom teacher could be a primary referral agent; nevertheless, without proper training and consistency African American students can still be under indentified. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)

Adolescents' (N = 272) psychological changes were examined at a residential academy for gifted junior and senior high school students in the Midwest. The School-Based Conception of Giftedness (Coleman & Cross, 2005) was drawn on to understand how school environment influences student development. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to inform the study. Outcome measurement data from the Youth Outcome Questionnaire Self-Report 2.0 (YOQ-SR) tracked students' level of psychological distress over the course of an academic year. Using Latent Growth Curve Model (LGM) analysis, the initial level of distress did not impact how students' stress levels changed over time. The results indicated a strong negative correlation (r =-.884) between the slope and quadratic change; meaning, the more a students' level of stress increased the more rapidly they were able to reduce it over time. Overall, the change in stress formed an inverted-U shape, as students adapted to the challenges of the school. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with 9 senior students with a wide range of YOQ-SR scores at the beginning of their junior year. Four categories emerged from the interviews about student experiences at the academy: Psychological Changes, Academic Adjustment, Social Adjustment and Social Comparison. In essence, when participating in the academy, students experienced advanced personal development, improved management skills and developed a sense of readiness for college. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

This study examined perceptions of administrators and kindergarten teachers regarding kindergarten giftedness. The study looked at whether administrators and teachers believe kindergarten students can be gifted; whether their schools and districts have policies in place to identify those students; and whether they are required to vary the curriculum for these students. All elementary-school administrators and kindergarten teachers in North Carolina were invited to participate in the study. The survey respondents consisted of 127 administrators and 260 kindergarten teachers. The data concluded that although 98% of respondents believe kindergarten students can be gifted, almost 70% of their schools and districts do not currently have a process in place to identify those students. The results also indicated that the majority of kindergarten teachers and administrators agreed that identification of giftedness in kindergarten is not detrimental to a student's future development. Further results showed no relationship between classroom practices of teachers required to alter the curriculum for students perceived as gifted and those who were not required to alter it. In addition, the research identified the practices of teachers who believe that kindergarten students can be gifted. The resulting implications and recommendations are also included. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The underrepresentation of minority and low socioeconomic students has been an issue in gifted education for many years. Barriers related to poverty, cultural differences, linguistic differences, and deficit orientation in school systems are just a few possible causes of underrepresentation. This study examined the effects of a talent development program on the number of students qualifying for the gifted program as well as the effect the talent program had on motivation of participants. Additionally, this study considered the effect that teacher attitude had on gifted referral rates for students after professional development sessions on gifted characteristics. The talent development experience benefited regular classroom teachers in understanding how to recognize potential giftedness in students from diverse backgrounds. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Project LOGgED ON was a project supported by the U.S. Department of Education that maintained two initiatives, a.) to provide online case based professional development for teachers in gifted education, b.) to provide online advanced science curriculum for underserved gifted students. For the purposes of this study, the author will examine the data provided from the professional development component. The project has worked with 554 regular classroom teachers in both urban and rural locations. This paper will examine self-reported outcomes in the online case based professional development courses, similarities across and differences between participants who completed courses and those participants who dropped out of a course and participant satisfaction with the online course sequence. The researcher examines both survey data from Completers and Non-completers and qualitative data provided by the archived discussion forums and email conversations. The research addresses the success of the courses in increasing teacher knowledge about gifted education and the degree to which teacher perceptions of giftedness reflected a broadened conception of giftedness and appropriate means of addressing gifted students' needs. The results indicate online professional development in gifted education is a viable option for reaching classroom teachers in order to increase their knowledge of gifted, broaden their perceptions of gifted, and increase their classroom inclusion of best practices in gifted education. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Within the gifted community, the common wisdom is that one must find a therapist who understands the intrapersonal, social, and cultural experiences of being highly intelligent. Without this understanding, informal reports suggest that miscarriages of the therapeutic working alliance may be frequent, and that clients may avoid or leave therapy as a result. However, few therapists or researchers acknowledge intelligence as a dimension of human difference which could be relevant to therapy, or how their own relational selves might be affected by the prospect of doing this work. The specialist literature in the field of giftedness rarely includes consideration of mainstream psychological theories. Thus, little is widely known about how to effectively engage these clients, and there are few opportunities for therapists to recognize when they are making mistakes or to develop competence with this group. This study used a consensual qualitative research model (Hill, Thompson, & Nutt-Williams, 1997), in an attempt to connect these two areas of the literature. Individuals who self-identify as gifted and who have previously been clients in individual or family therapy were asked to describe their felt experiences of the alliance, helpful or unhelpful therapist behaviors, and how the course of therapy may have been affected. The responses were analyzed thematically and interpreted through the lenses of the specific literature on giftedness and mainstream psychological theories. Respondents in this study described their intelligence as having pervasive effects on their lives, the material they wished to explore in therapy, and the therapeutic relationship itself. Substantial connections to the theoretical literature on trauma and object relations were considered in relational context. Additionally, the data permitted some exploration of the general question of whether some differences between therapist and client may be too great to bridge. Finally, a set of provisional clinical guidelines for working with gifted clients was developed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

School-based programs for gifted students are infrequently evaluated, which leaves these programs vulnerable to questions of efficacy (Borland, 1997). School psychologists are in a key position to provide expertise on program design, implementation, and evaluation. A public elementary school giftedness program was selected to demonstrate the procedures of program evaluability assessment, a type of program evaluation. These procedures include involving key stakeholders, clarifying the intended program’s mission, goals, resources, and activities, exploring program reality, and identifying needed program changes (Wholey, 2004). School psychologists may also be called upon for their knowledge of giftedness theories and methods for identifying and educating gifted students based upon training in cognitive abilities and assessment. A review of the literature regarding giftedness is presented, including theories of giftedness and methods for identifying and educating gifted students. Renzulli’s theories and methods are highlighted, as they were the basis for the giftedness program being studied. Additionally, literature is presented regarding evaluability assessment, including the purpose and goals of conducting such an assessment, as well as the procedures to be used. Interviews with key stakeholders, observations, and review of programmatic documents led to the creation of a logic model, a diagram which visually details how a program functions by delineating the resources, activities, and outputs of a program, and the short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes which the program is expected to yield. This evaluability assessment found that the intended program and the program reality were closely matched. Areas for program change were identified, including a need for quantifiable outcome measures, adding standardized identification procedures for student admission to the program, and a standardized overall curriculum to ensure that the education of students can continue regardless of who the giftedness facilitator is within the school district. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

This qualitative case study explores the experiences and perspectives of seven diverse adolescent youth who are gifted as they navigate the social and organizational structures of public schooling as participants in gifted programming. Recent trends in education and the historical exploitations of giftedness that service the few, rather than the gifted, have relegated the needs of diverse youth who are gifted to the margins. Through the method of in-depth observation and semi-structured interviewing, the study explores what a typical school day is like and how ways of being in multiple contexts and settings influence various perspectives, interactions, and ability to find success in school. Considering the voice of the participants in the form of soliloquy, the mosaic representation of a typical school day, and assertions across the experiences and perspectives of participants expose a reality that acceptance and/or rejection of what it means to be gifted is determined by context. The complexity and ubiquity of an institutionally imposed identity and narrowing of success to mean good grades, consequently reveal that intellectual belonging is secondary to social and emotional belonging. Furthermore, participants will structure their interactions and behaviors in order to feel as though they can be the shapers of their experiences, rather than the institution shaping them. This produces different forms of struggle, compliance, and/or resistance to mainstream expectations which has implications for how other diverse resources and abilities get valued in school. The data reveal that representation of youth voices should continue informing future research extending to other stakeholders in the school context, such as teachers. Their voices should also contribute to measures related to gifted program reform and teacher development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Giftedness has often been equated with being academically talented or being a high achiever in school. However, there is often concern about the gifted students who could be described as unmotivated and underachieving in one or many academic areas. At the Jones Street School, a school for gifted elementary students, the location of this study, there are some students who are unmotivated and are considered underachievers. In the 5 th Grade in particular, some students are identified as underachievers who are unmotivated to produce high quality writing. The reasons for underachieving in this area are varied. However, when school, home and child work together using various strategies in curriculum and instruction, underachievement can be reversed leading to improved student performance. The main objective of this study is to help teachers and parents in understanding the nature and cause of underachievement and to show them how to effectively work with underachieving 5 th grade gifted students who are unmotivated to produce high quality writing. The study will help to prevent as well as reverse the students' patterns of attitudes and behaviors. The study will use qualitative research questions to address the 5 th grade gifted students who are unmotivated to produce high quality writing. The use of a survey/questionnaire along with a focus group session with the 5 th grade students and teachers examine the cause of underachievement in writing among these students in the Jones Street School. The study aims to provide useful information that allows the teachers to assist the students in becoming successful in their writing projects and increase motivation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

In public schools today, students who are identified as individuals with gifts and talents are generally confronted with education that is not fitted to their learning needs and self-regulatory potentials (Colangelo, Assouline, & Gross, 2004). The mismatch between needs and services is particularly true of those students who, in addition to their giftedness, are faced with the challenges of a developmental disability such as autism or Asperger's Syndrome. In the face of such challenges to appropriate services for twice-exceptional students, a new approach to public education is attracting an increasing amount of attention. The term twice-exceptional was coined by James J. Gallagher to denote students who are both gifted and have a disability. A growing body of research indicates that online learning is effective in meeting the unique needs of these students. This study gathered information from students with gifts and talents with an Autism Spectrum Disorder who are enrolled in a full-time Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The study utilized in-depth interviews with three to four each of students and parents. The data collected was analyzed using a Grounded Theory approach. The purpose of the study was to examine the participants' reasons for enrolling in a virtual high school, to assess the extent to which students, their parents, and teachers feel the virtual learning environment accommodates each child's particular academic, behavioral and social needs, and to determine whether the participants perceive VLEs as capable of fostering acceptance and socialization among gifted autistic students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of gifted education services is not monitored by accountability measures required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2002), and giftedness is not a suspect class in equity concerns (Leslie, 2009). Therefore, a research base that measures the impact of well-designed practices on student outcomes may serve as the strongest justification for the development of potential among gifted students in American public schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of school characteristics on the development of gifted student potential during the middle school years as measured by achievement, creativity, and motivation outcomes. For the purposes of this study, school characteristics referred to the curriculum (integrated versus traditional), the presence or lack of deliberate focus given to preparation for state criterion-referenced grade-level tests, and the attention given to matching curriculum to student interest. The findings of the research study do not fully support concerns that a focus on state-mandated competency tests may create an unfavorable climate for the academic growth of high-achieving students. There was evidence that an integrated instructional approach that reduced focus on competency testing may foster higher levels of creative thinking. Findings also revealed the importance of periodically monitoring student retention of grade-level standards to guard against regression in levels of proficiency when students engage in accelerated curricula. The study highlighted a need for assessments that permit the evaluation of conceptual understanding and processes to provide a more informative review of academic achievement and creative thinking. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

This study shows that minority students who, based upon a standardized test, have shown a high academic performance capability have a readiness for rigorous courses in high school and can sustain high academic achievement over time when compared to non-minority peers. Therefore, the on-going question for many educators needs to be why doesn't this hold true in many of our public school across this country? Why, in light of the accountability placed upon our nation's schools in 2001, is the prevailing discussion still about minority students being left behind? The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ninth-grade to 12th-grade achievement trajectory of same school district ethnic minority and ethnic majority high school students' formally identified as gifted to determine if there is an achievement gap that ensues over time. This study may lead to future investigation on the "Opportunity Gap", and may have important implications for many urban schools in the Metropolitan School District where students who are culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse are at risk of underachieving. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

This study examined and compared school attitudes, including academic self-perceptions, attitudes toward teachers, attitudes toward school, goal valuation, and motivation/self-regulation, using the School Attitude Assessment Survey - Revised (SAAS-R) in groups of students who varied in their potential for academic achievement and their actual academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to extend the current literature on giftedness, underachievement in gifted students, and low achievement in general. Furthermore, this exploratory study was designed to replicate and extend the research on the SAAS-R (Matthews & McBee, 2007; McCoach & Siegle, 2001; McCoach & Siegle, 2003a; McCoach & Siegle, 2003b; McCoach & Siegle, 2003c; Suldo et al., 2008). The sample consisted of 847 students from a Midwestern high school that had the potential to be placed in the following categories: gifted, nongifted, high achiever, low achiever, gifted high achiever, gifted underachiever, nongifted low achiever, or nongifted high achiever. Identification of gifted students was based on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), while achievement was based on grade point average (GPA). Overall, this study demonstrated evidence of adequate construct validity in the SAAS-R. Gifted students had more positive academic self-perceptions than nongifted students ( p<.01). High achievers had more positive attitudes than low achievers on all attitudes measured ( p<.01). Gifted high achievers had more positive attitudes than gifted underachievers in the areas of academic self perceptions, goal valuation, and motivation/self-regulation ( p<.01). Gifted underachievers had lower motivation/self-regulation than nongifted low achievers ( p<.01). No students were classified as nongifted high achievers. Using attitude ratings, logistic regression analyses correctly classified gifted achievers and gifted underachievers with 85.9% accuracy in the five factor model and 86.7% accuracy in a two factor model including academic self-perceptions and motivation/self-regulation. Also, high achievers and low achievers were correctly classified with 80.6% accuracy in the five factor model and 80.3% accuracy in a two factor model including academic self-perceptions and motivation/self-regulation. Limitations and implications for practice and research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Intellectual giftedness is associated with strong strategic verbal memory while Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with strategic verbal memory deficits; however, no previous research has explored how this contradiction manifests in gifted populations with diagnoses of ADHD. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore strategic verbal memory processes among intellectually gifted children and adolescents with and without ADHD to provide clarification regarding this specific aspect of neuropsychological functioning within this population. One hundred-twenty five children and adolescents completed neuropsychological evaluations including the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and California Verbal Learning Test, Children's Version (CVLT-C). Results revealed significant differences between groups. More specifically, one-way analyses of variance revealed that intellectually gifted children and adolescents with ADHD achieved lower T-scores on CVLT-C Trials 1-5 than intellectually gifted children and adolescents without ADHD, and intellectually gifted children and adolescents with ADHD achieved higher T-scores on CVLT-C Trials 1-5 than children and adolescents of average intellectual abilities with ADHD. Repeated measure analysis of variance revealed a main effect improvement among gifted children and adolescents with ADHD in short-delay recall when provided with organizational cues. Additionally, two-way analysis of variance revealed gifted children and adolescents without ADHD achieved higher scores on short-delay cued and long-delay free recall trials than gifted children and adolescents with ADHD; however, there were no significant interaction effects found. Findings revealed new evidence about the role of twice-exceptionality (specifically intellectual giftedness and ADHD) in strategic verbal memory, and have important implications for parents, educators, psychologists and neuropsychologists, and other mental health professionals working with this population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Research has found that a strong predictor of students' success is the ability to connect to their school and be actively engaged in their learning. Even with the vast empirical support for the positive effects of student engagement, one area that has not been investigated is the idea of student engagement with gifted and talented students; particularly when looking at the elementary grade levels. This concept is essential to understand because research also supports the idea that student engagement decreases with each grade level. Through the qualitative analysis of gifted and talented student drawings and interviews, this research shows support for increasing student engagement for these students and how this could be done in the current educational system. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

This study examined the question of whether or not the provision of professional development (PD) for pre-service teachers would change their attitudes toward giftedness and gifted students. The research was conducted with pre-service teachers in the College of Education at New Mexico State University (NMSU). In this random pre/post-test experimental/control group design, an experimental group and a control group were administered a pre-and-post-survey to measure pre-service teachers' attitudes regarding giftedness and gifted students. Data were collected, scored, and analyzed by an analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA) for hypotheses 1 through 6 generated from a survey on gifted attitudes. For hypothesis 7, the data were analyzed using a t-test. For hypothesis 8, the data were analyzed using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) in order to determine the statistical significance existing between the control and experimental groups regarding attitudes toward giftedness and gifted students at the p < .05 level. Results indicated significance on most factors, therefore suggesting that professional development on giftedness and gifted students can be an effective vehicle in providing knowledge about giftedness to educators. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The population of intellectually gifted youth encompasses a wide range of abilities, talents, temperaments, and personality characteristics. Although generalizations are often made outside of the empirical literature regarding the interpersonal skills of these children, much remains to be understood about their social behavior. The aim of this study was to examine the within-group differences of gifted children, and it was hypothesized that subgroups of the gifted population would differ from each other in terms of interpersonal skill development. Gifted education teachers within a large K-12 public school district in the Southwestern United States completed the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) regarding the social-emotional competence of 206 elementary and middle school students classified as gifted. Correlational analyses and factorial analysis of variance were conducted to compare interpersonal skills (as measured by DESSA ratings) and students' level of giftedness, area of identification as gifted, gender, and age. Results indicated that interpersonal skills were significantly related to gender, area of identification, and level of giftedness. Female children were described as having significantly higher levels of interpersonal skills overall, and children identified as gifted with both nonverbal and quantitative measures exhibited significantly higher levels of interpersonal skills than those identified with verbal or nonverbal measures alone. Significant correlations were also observed between the level of children's estimated gifted abilities and their interpersonal skills. Trends in the data suggested that as children's cognitive abilities increased, their interpersonal skills also increased, placing profoundly gifted children at social advantages over their moderately gifted peers. However, it was also noted that although the two variables were significantly related, they were not commensurate. While children presented with above-average cognitive abilities, their interpersonal skills were within the average range. This suggests that gifted children may benefit from interventions that target interpersonal skill development, in an effort to bring their social skills more in line with their cognitive abilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Bias with regard to English Language Learner (ELL) status and interpretation of Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) cutoffs were examined in relation to school psychologists' referral of students who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) to gifted education programs. School psychologists were more likely to refer a monolingual, Caucasian student with a FSIQ of 140 compared to an ELL, Spanish student with a slightly different profile with a FSIQ of 125. In contrast, school psychologists did not demonstrate bias in referral rates of two identical profiles of a monolingual and ELL student who both presented with a FSIQ of 125. Additionally, the present study found that the Wechsler battery along with FSIQ cutoffs were most often used in determining intellectual giftedness. The present study also found that graduate training focused less on gifted education than multicultural issues. Together, these findings suggest that identifying intellectual giftedness in students who are CLD lacks much attention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

The purpose of this study is to understand the meaning and experience of adult giftedness in the workplace. This study is a heuristic inquiry and, by nature, seeks to discover all the relevant components to this meaning and experience of giftedness, and, thus is open to the essence of the experience as it unfolds. Data collection for this inquiry was conducted at the individual/whole person level. The research relied heavily on the use of interviews, which included guiding questions, but allowed for each co-researcher to express the meaning and experience of giftedness in the workplace in their own words. This permitted the inclusion of any other unforeseen data sources that could have arose during the inquiry. The results of the inquiry reveal that the meaning and essence of the experience of giftedness in the workplace begins with the experience of multipotentiality and the intrinsic and undeniable drive to explore ones abilities and pursue the task of work in a passionate way. However, this passion and drive to produce, to utilize talents to their fullest, tends to highlight the gifted adults differences from his average workplace peers. The experience of giftedness in the workplace is at its core, a frustrating experience. Frustrations exist, though tempered with a realization that differences exists between the gifted adult, his/her motivations, preferences, abilities and drives and the non-gifted co-workers. By developing a richer understanding of the essence of giftedness, those in professional positions to assist in the facilitation of gifted development will be better able to do so. New understanding may allow psychologists to be more capable of answering the questions related to how the gifted and talented experience life. Implications for employers are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Adolescents confront a plethora of physical and emotional changes, especially those alterations surrounding puberty. Body image disturbances have become commonplace with high school students, and school personnel seem to have had little success in fighting this problem. Teenagers with body dissatisfaction may also be at risk for mental health problems, such as depression and eating disorders. Gifted adolescents may be particularly susceptible to mental health issues due to a number of specialized issues including overexcitability and social coping ability (Gatto-Walden, 1999). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among body dissatisfaction, gender, type of student (gifted or typical), overall overexcitability, social coping, and an interaction between gender and type of student. A diverse group of 489 participants from six Illinois school districts participated in the study, including 268 females (54.8%), 216 males (44.2%), 4 students identifying as "other" regarding gender (0.8%); one student did not respond to that question (0.2%), and they ranged in age from 14 to 20 ( M = 16.6, SD = 1.2). The overall regression model was statistically significant, F(5, 469) = 9.31, p < .001, R 22 = .09. The adjusted R 2 was .081, which indicated that 8.1% of the variance in body dissatisfaction was explained by the model. This effect was medium in magnitude and consistent with previous research with body dissatisfaction. The results support the idea that gender, overall overexcitability, and social coping significantly explained body dissatisfaction, but being gifted (i.e., type of student) did not significantly contribute to the regression model. In addition, the results did not support a gender by type of student interaction. These findings are interesting in that previous research has linked giftedness and overexcitability, but these variables were not strongly correlated in the current study. However, this information has yielded some important implications for school counselors, clinical mental health counselors, and counselor educators. The author also discussed some areas for further research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)