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Federal definitions of giftedness have expanded over the years to include more than general intellectual ability. While a majority of states have incorporated most of the criteria set forth in the federal definitions, the criterion given the most weight remains intellectual ability. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, identification of mentally gifted students requires an evaluation by a certified public school psychologist and the administration of a professionally validated test of intellectual ability. I.Q. testing presents as one of the most expensive tools in the identification process. As such, effective screening procedures implemented prior to referral for individual assessment can considerably lower the costs of the identification process by reducing the number of students referred for gifted consideration who subsequently fail to be identified as mentally gifted. The purpose of the current study is two-fold. Of initial focus is the identification of criteria currently utilized in the screening process for identifying gifted students which best predict the results of professionally validated tests of intelligence. The second focus is the development of instrumentation, designated the Teacher Rating Scale (TRS), and the analysis of its predictive value in identifying intellectually gifted students. Both simple and multiple regression were used to assess the predictive value of currently used screening data in identifying those students referred for eligibility determination who scored 130 or greater on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition and/or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - III. Composite scores from the TRS rating scale were then incorporated into the regression equation, with the analysis assessing the contribution of the rating scale in predicting individual I.Q. scores. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

The purpose of this study was to examine the temperament characteristics that may affect teachers' appraisals of student aptitudes and their referral for gifted programs. Classroom teachers were asked to complete a modified version of the School-Age Temperament Inventory (McLowry, 1993) on three groups of elementary school students. These groups were: (a) economically disadvantaged gifted children who had been identified through a multiple-criteria evaluation process, (b) students who had been identified as gifted by traditional means (standardized test scores), and (c) students who had been nominated for gifted program screening by their classroom teachers. The teacher ratings of temperament factors were compared. There were no significant differences between the groups on teacher ratings of activity level or approach/withdrawal behavior. However, there were significant differences between the groups on ratings of task persistence and negative reactivity. The economically disadvantaged students were rated as less task persistent than either of the other two groups, and they were rated as more negative in mood than the students who had been nominated by their teachers for gifted program screening. Two open-ended questions added to the temperament inventory allowed teachers to describe the temperament factors they associated with giftedness. The two factors selected most often were task persistence and negative reactivity, the ones on which economically disadvantaged gifted students differed most from students in the other two groups. It was concluded that perceived differences in noncognitive behavior do influence teachers' recognition of gifted abilities in students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. There are strong indications that staff development to improve teachers' skills in recognizing attributes of giftedness in atypical populations should include instruction on the potential biasing effects of temperament factors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Gifted education has come a long way in the development and acceptance of broader definitions of giftedness and more inclusive identification procedures. Educators have recognized that restrictive requirements which rely unilaterally on 10 scores fail to identify many gifted students; they have worked to change traditional notions of giftedness. This research focuses on the history of the evolution of multiple criteria procedures for gifted identification in Georgia from 1958 to 1997; it chronicles the events and personalities which brought about changes mandating that students be evaluated for gifted program admission on the basis of aptitude, achievement, motivation, and creativity. This research also parallels the development of Georgia rules mandating the use of multiple criteria with the nation-wide trend toward more inclusive procedures. It includes a discussion of research-based "best practices" for gifted identification and a comprehensive history of gifted education since the time of Thomas Jefferson. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

This research developed the ElemenOE, an instrument designed for use by teachers to measure personality characteristics known as "overexcitabilities" in children ages 4-12. The research describes the overexcitabilities within the context of Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration and makes the case for their use to identify gifted children. Overexcitability refers to an innate supersensitivity to stimuli in any of five different areas: psychomotor, sensual, imaginational, intellectual, and emotional. One good reason for looking at giftedness from the perspective of overexcitabilities is that these overexcitabilities, or OEs, are not tied to academic achievement. Instead, they are the roots of giftedness, leading to behaviors that are indicative of "an advanced and accelerated development of functions within the brain. Such development may express itself in high levels of cognitive, affective, physical sensing, and/or intuitive abilities" (Clark, 1997). Prior instruments used to measure overexcitabilities are problematical for administration to elementary school children, but these problems are circumvented with the ElemenOE. Five scholars of Dabrowski's theory rated an initial 100 items for content validity. Items were eliminated if the raters disagreed on the OE they exemplified or if the raters felt the behaviors were weak indicators of that OE. The 61 remaining items were compiled into a pilot instrument that was used to describe 373 students. Exploratory factor analyses using Varimax rotation found factors that related to the five OEs. Items with loadings of less than .5 were eliminated. In this way, the 61 items of the pilot instrument were reduced to the 30 items used on the ElemenOE. Teachers used the ElemenOE to describe 171 gifted and nonidentified children. A discriminant analysis resulted in one function that significantly discriminated between the groups, with Intellectual and Psychomotor OEs making significant contributions. The ElemenOE classified 76% of gifted students along with 42.7% of non-identified students as having similar OE profiles. These results indicate that the ElemenOE may be useful in identifying gifted students who are missed by traditional identification procedures. Cronbach's alpha, a measure of internal consistency, was .883 for the ElemenOE, and interrater reliability of the total instrument was calculated at .965 using the Spearman-Brown formula. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of two screening tests for developmental skills and cognitive abilities with measured intelligence used for placement in early childhood gifted education programs. The review of literature supported the notion that the IQ score was often used as the most definitive criterion for identification of students with giftedness or exceptional ability. Procedures. The population of this study included the elementary students, grades two through six, who were screened and tested for the gifted education program in a public school district located in southeastern Missouri during the school years from August 1993 to May 1997. The sample was limited to the students who were screened with the Missouri Kindergarten Inventory of Developmental Skills (KIDS) and the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and placed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC-III). The school district provided a list of test results. The data were analyzed using Pearson Product-Moment correlation and stepwise multiple regression. Findings. The statistical analysis of the data indicated a significant difference at the .05 level of significance for three subtests of the KIDS, auditory skills, language concepts, and visual skills. The composite score of the CogAT was identified as the best predictor at a level of significance p < .001, and accounted for 14% of the variability of the full scale intelligence quotient scores of the WISC-III. Conclusions. While the coefficients of the three KIDS subtests and the composite scores of the CogAT were of statistical significance, factors contributing to less than 14% of the variance of the WISC-III provided limited predictive value. The findings of this study stressed the importance of using multiple criteria in the screening procedures for identification of students with giftedness, as well as the need for more effective teacher training for recognition of gifted characteristics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

This study examined the relationships among teacher rating scales and measures traditionally used to predict "schoolhouse giftedness." "Schoolhouse giftedness" refers to test taking and lesson learning giftedness (Renzulli & Reis, 1985) and is measured by standardized intelligence and academic achievement tests. Participants included 255 children, ages 5 to 6 years, nominated by teachers or parents for a gifted program. Children were divided into monolingual, bilingual or limited English proficient groups. Sixty kindergarten teachers attended a two-hour training, which focused on characteristics of gifted children and completion of teacher rating forms. Two months later, children were rated on three teacher rating scales, the Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scale (GATES; Gilliam, Carpenter & Christensen, 1996), the Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students and the Renzulli-Smith Early Childhood Checklist. Children who scored at or above the "borderline" range on the GATES were administered an intelligence measure (Stanford-Binet Fourth Edition), the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-educational Battery - Revised Tests of Achievement (Skills cluster and Broad Knowledge cluster) and a nonverbal measure of intelligence (Matrix Analogies Test). The three rating scales displayed significant positive correlations with the cognitive ability scores for all three groups as well as for the monolingual and bilingual groups with regard to the Skills cluster. The Renzulli-Smith Early Childhood Checklist was the only scale positively correlated with the Skills cluster for students of limited English proficiency. Teacher rating scales were not found to have significant relationships with the Broad Knowledge cluster. The GATES was not found to be the most highly correlated scale with standardized measures as hypothesized. Significant differences were not found among the correlations between rating scales and standardized measures for the three groups. None of the scales were effective in predicting group membership in the gifted group. Replacing the verbal portion of the intelligence scale with the Matrix Analogies Test resulted in a larger percentage of students of limited English proficiency falling within the gifted group. Results were discussed in terms of the limited efficacy of teacher rating scales in predicting "schoolhouse giftedness." Based on the current study, these measures must be utilized cautiously for kindergarten age children. Diversifying measures of ability and achievement and altering methods of admission for children with limited English ability were also discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The underrepresentation of minority students in programs for the gifted and their overrepresentation in special education programs has been well documented. Definitions of giftedness and identification procedures are frequently cited barriers to identification and placement of culturally diverse students in programs for the gifted. Research efforts are directed toward developing alternative assessment techniques for identification of minority students for placement in gifted education programs. The Center for Theater Techniques in Education, under the guidance of Mary Hunter Wolf, founder and President, began offering a talent identification and development program for gifted, urban minority students. Middle school students identified by their non-verbal intellectual ability and their creative abilities are selected to participate in the Talent Search and Development Program (TSDP), a unique theater tech/integrated arts program. The goal of the program is to identify and nurture each student's talent in the arts or academic areas. This qualitative study of past participants explored the factors related to the recognition and development of talent in each participant. Also examined were the components of the program affecting continuing education and career choices, and the ability of each participant to relate to his/her cultural heritage as well as the broader world. Qualitative data collected from participants and program personnel and documents revealed the educational interventions, personal traits, and the support systems necessary to help guide the participants toward their eventual career choices. Qualitative data indicated that the absence of consistent support systems (families, gifted program opportunities, peer groups, and counseling opportunities) prevented some of the participants from moving forward with talent development opportunities, higher education, and career choices. The greater the inconsistency of support systems, the less possibility existed for developmental paths to be sustained. For some participants, clear goals, and visions for the future were never developed. Adequate consistency of support systems, enabled other participants to continue the developmental progress they began in TSDP, and move forward with higher education and career planning providing the beginning to a fulfilling life in the broader world. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of gender, giftedness, informal exercise and team sports in the development of self-perceptions and identity of young adolescents. The study was conducted in 2 middle schools. The subjects were 305 students (138 nongifted females, 44 gifted females, 100 nongifted males, and 23 gifted males) in the 8th grade. Instruments used to survey students were the Physical Activity Survey, Harter's Self-Perception Profile, and the Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory. The results of the study show that participation in team sports had a positive effect on all domains of young adolescents' self-perceptions and identity development except behavioral conduct. Informal exercise had a positive effect on young adolescents' perceptions of social competence and their global self-worth but not on their identity development. Gender differences were found with males showing more positive self-perceptions of athletic competence, physical appearance, and global self-worth as well as higher resolution of the stages of autonomy and identity than females, and females showing more positive self-perceptions of behavioral conduct than males. There were no differences between gifted and nongifted with the exception that gifted students showed more positive scholastic competence than nongifted. The findings from this study suggest that participation in team sports is a part of young adolescents' development at the middle grades level. Middle schools may want to use the results of this study in planning programs. A well-planned sports program that emphasizes healthy competition for young adolescents may benefit both males and females. Educators may use these findings to counsel females to consider sports as one way to manage stress and to enhance self-concept and identity development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

This paper presented a significant problem in the field of research on the gifted and talented. Traditional methods for the identification of gifted individuals, including intelligence and achievement measures do not always correctly identify every gifted individual. Identification could be made more accurate with the addition of other identification areas. One often overlooked area for identification is personality measures. Literature of the field was reviewed to clarify the identification problem. The two research questions examined were: (1) Are there relationships between scores on the Sensory Profile and traditional measures of giftedness? (2) Are there relationships between scores on the OEQII and the Sensory Profile? Four hypotheses were proposed: Hypothesis 1: Scores on the Sensory Profile will correlate with intelligence scores and achievement. Hypothesis 2: Scores on the Sensory Profile will correlate with scores on the Overexcitability Questionnaire II. Hypothesis 3: A model consisting of four latent variables (Overexcitability Questionnaire II, Sensory Profile, intelligence test scores, achievement scores) defined by the scores on their related tests will demonstrate good fit with empirically collected data. Hypothesis 4: There will be strong metric invariance between the gifted and nongifted groups on the proposed model. Methods for exploring the hypotheses were discussed. Confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group analyses were performed. Discussion of the hypotheses, the limitations of the study, and of future directions for research was conducted. All four hypotheses were supported, although some hypotheses were supported more strongly than others. Scores on the Sensory Profile were weakly correlated with intelligence and achievement scores. Scores on the Sensory Profile were moderately correlated with scores on the Overexcitability Questionnaire II. A model consisting of four latent variables (Overexcitability Questionnaire II, Sensory Profile, intelligence test scores, achievement scores) defined by the scores on their related tests demonstrated adequate fit with empirically collected data. There was strict metric invariance between the gifted and non-gifted groups on the proposed model. Evidence supporting both convergent and divergent validity between the four latent factors was found as a result of the analyses. Further research should be done to examine the validity of the Sensory Profile for use in identifying gifted individuals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The purpose of this study was to describe the life experience of adult individuals who are gifted and have Tourette syndrome. Although there is much literature regarding giftedness, it is mostly about children. One can also find literature about Tourette syndrome, but this, too, is mostly about children. There is virtually no literature about the phenomenon of giftedness and Tourette syndrome together, whether it is in the area of children or adults. This study sought to create the beginning of such a body of knowledge, and to give voice to those individuals in our society that are gifted with Tourette syndrome. A more personal reason for the study was to provide children who are gifted and have Tourette syndrome, as well as their parents, with hope-hope for a successful, well-lived life. The results of the study provide educators, employers, and society with a better understanding of individuals who are gifted with Tourette syndrome. Nine in-person participants were interviewed, and eight biographical participants from the literature were discussed. The delimitations of the in-person participants are that each participant is eighteen years of age or older, has a diagnosis of Tourette syndrome, and is gifted because they were either identified as such as a child or via completing a screening tool for identifying gifted adults. Findings of this phenomenological study derived five themes of the lived experience of being GTS (Gifted with Tourette Syndrome). The essence of being GTS is a mysterious one that can be filled with self-acceptance and hope, especially if the individual has knowledge of his GTS and receives support and guidance. It is the interaction between the giftedness and the Tourette syndrome within the individual that creates the Self. It is a blending of the two that creates the whole individual. They cannot be separated out from the whole. Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration is discussed in relationship to the GTS individual, as are twice-exceptional concepts and issues. More importantly, some voices of the GTS population are now documented in a scientific study which paves the way for future studies. Implications and recommendations for future studies are established. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Given recent changes in the conceptualization of intelligence and giftedness, this researcher examined the role of aspects of emotional intelligence (EI), intelligence (IQ), and teacher rating scales to clarify their ability to actually predict the academic success of gifted children. In relatively few empirical studies have researchers focused on EI as a predictor of academic success or explored EI in the gifted and talented population. This lack of research is surprising given the claims about social and emotional concerns within the gifted and talented population (i.e., Davis & Rimm, 1985; Osborn, 1996; Reis & Renzulli, 2004; Rimm, 1996). As such, the current investigator added to the body of research in this fledgling domain by providing empirical data on the predictive power of various criteria commonly used in the identification of gifted students, as well as explored the relatively new domain of EI and its impact on the academic success of gifted students. Specifically, this researcher examined the effect of two aspects of emotional intelligence on gifted students' academic success: emotion receiving ability and emotion regulation. Using a sample of gifted and talented (G&T) students, results were that, of the variables measured (i.e., gender, IQ, teacher rating scales, and aspects of EI), the gender of the student is the best predictor of success in a G&T program as females performed significantly better than males within the G&T program. In addition, a gender effect of emotion receiving ability on math achievement was demonstrated. Specifically, a significant negative correlation between females' emotion receiving ability and math achievement was indicated. Traditional measures of giftedness such as IQ and teacher rating scales did not significantly predict G&T student academic success in the mainstream setting or within the G&T program. It is quite possible that these variables (IQ and teacher rating scales) were not good predictors due to the lack of variability of these measures within the G&T student sample. Implications of the current research, including assessment, intervention, and time management issues for school personnel, especially the school psychologist, will be discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Sixty-one Hispanic and 140 white students were compared on two measures of intelligence: the WISC-R and the SOI-LA. The purpose of the study was: (a) to discover which instrument identifies more white and Hispanic gifted children, (b) to address semantic and figural differences within and between ethnicity, and (c) to examine the SOI-LA's predictive and concurrent validity with the WISC-R. The WISC-R identified 82 white and 24 Hispanic children as gifted, while the SOI-LA identified 39 white and 11 gifted Hispanic children. A Cochran's Q analysis showed differential attribution of giftedness between the WISC-R and the SOI-LA on the white population (Q[3] = 15.54, p < 05). Sign-Tests indicated differential performance for the white population between Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) and the SOI-LA (Z = 3.14, 2-tailed p < .05) with more children accepted by the WISC-R. Verbal/Performance deficits on the WISC-R were significant for the Hispanic population with Performance IQ (PIQ) superior to Verbal IQ (VIQ), yet the SOI-LA did not show the same deficit. White children scored significantly higher than Hispanic children on VIQ. Similar results indicated that white children outperformed Hispanic children on the Semantic Composite factor of the SOI-LA. There were no differences between ethnicity on WISC-R PIQ or the Figural Composite Factor of the SOI-LA. White children scored higher on the Semantic than Figural Composites of the SOI-LA. The 26 subtests of the SOI-LA significantly predict FSIQ, VIQ, and PIQ, accounting for 43%, 40% and 29% of the variance for these factors, respectively. The highest correlation was between FSIQ and Cognition of Semantic Relations (CMS) at .51. These results indicate moderate predictive validity for the SOI-LA on the WISC-R. The claim that the SOI-LA is more appropriate for use with Hispanic children was not supported by this study. However, the SOI-LA moderately predicted WISC-R VIQ, PIQ, and FSIQ. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

This study implemented a treatment program focused on the improvement of gifted learning disabled students' academic self-perceptions through the enrichment of visual-spatial strengths. The rationale for this study was based upon the concept of abilities as developing competencies that can be altered characteristics of an individual. The notion of altering or changing abilities through the implementation of appropriate interventions (i.e. enhancing noncognitive factors) to improve domain specific areas of giftedness and learning disabilities was the impetus for this study. The research question aimed to determine if enrichment intervention activities positively produced an effect upon the academic self-perceptions of perceived general intellectual ability in Gifted Learning Disabled (GLD) students (i.e. how smart am I?). The participants were 4th and 5th grade public elementary school students who displayed strong visual-spatial skills and learning difficulties. This empirical study included a pre/post treatment design with a experimental group and a waitlist comparison group. The hypothesis was confirmed with treatment results demonstrating significant gains in perceived general intellectual abilities subsequent to the completion of a ten-week enrichment program. Research and practice implications for curriculum decisions and program interventions are discussed. Recommendations for future research considerations based on the findings from this study are included. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The researcher uses a postmodernist-influenced framework of open-ended questions, interactive discussion of responses, and other general interview guidelines from Seidman (1991), and additional gay-specific interview suggestions from Kong, Mahoney, and Plummer (2002), in his inquiry with four artistically-gifted, high-school-aged, gay and bisexual adolescent males. He investigates the applicability of the social and emotional needs previously affirmed in Friedrichs and Etheridge's three other research groups (1991, 1992, 1993.) Similar to his previous, more traditional research stages, the investigator implements frequently-used definitions of "giftedness" and "gay and bisexual youth," and draws on many pre-set interview questions as the focus of the research. He uses traditional data coding guidelines from Neuendorf (2002) to find summary themes in student responses. Again, similar to the past, current subjects' answers are described in terms of whether the majority of respondents affirm each hypothesized socially-constructed need and each proposed helpful approach. Differently from the three earlier stages, however, the present study uses postmodernist principles to dig deeper into the content themes evident in the youths' responses, reporting the contextual whos, whats, whens, wheres, and hows associated with their needs and the fulfillment of those needs. The current investigation also adds a postmodern analysis on the overall content themes derived from the students, using the framework of Foucault (1977)-when the subjects' responses illustrate mostly disenchantment and unmet social and emotional needs-and the lens of Kumoshiro (2000)-when the youths' answers reveal general student engagement and fulfilled needs. The summary of content themes reveals that the previous stages' needs and approaches are affirmed by the present subjects for some, if not all, secondary grade levels. The postmodern analysis shows six particularly common themes in the subjects' comments, including behavioral priorities placed over time on identity development, resistance, construction of needs, dialoguing, resilience, and fluidity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

This study sought to determine preservice teachers' beliefs regarding the role of "giftedness" in writing achievement. Specifically it sought to reveal whether preservice teachers believed writing a skill that could be taught and learned or a "gift," akin to natural talent or genius, that certain students are simply born with. The 192 preservice teachers who participated in the study included all students enrolled in eight sections of an introductory language arts course offered at a public university in upstate New York. The majority of the participants were full-time students in their junior or senior year of college. The research took place in two phases. The first phase involved an administration of Palmquist and Young's (1992) Writing Questionnaire. Items in the questionnaire determined the extent to which respondents believed writing to be dependent on "giftedness" versus the extent to which they believed writing a skill that can be taught and learned. Additional items required respondents to make self-assessments of their own writing skills. Four "extreme" subgroups, representing 66 participants, were formed based on the questionnaire scores: (a) Preservice teachers making high self-assessments of their writing ability, (b) Preservice teachers making low self-assessments of their writing ability, (c) Preservice teachers with high levels of belief in the notion of "giftedness" in writing, and (d) Preservice teachers with low levels of belief in the notion of "giftedness" in writing. A content analysis of these participants' Literacy Histories (Judy & Judy, 1983) made up the second phase of the research. References were coded according to three attributional categories: (a) ability/"giftedness," (b) effort/"learnability," and (c) influential others. Results indicated that preservice teachers emphasized the role of "effort" in writing achievement over that of "giftedness." However, some preservice teachers viewed "effort" in negative terms and admitted that they consciously chose not to expend great amounts of it in their writing. Results also indicated that preservice teachers believed "influential others"-teachers, parents, and siblings-to have had a substantial impact on their level of writing achievement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

While there is a growing awareness of the co-occurrence of giftedness and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), little is known about the clinical presentation of ADHD in intellectually gifted children. Current diagnostic decisions with this subpopulation are made employing procedures and norms developed using a nonexceptional population. However, it is unknown whether this common practice is appropriate. This study explored how intellectually gifted children perform on three commonly used measures of ADHD, specifically: (a) the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA); (b) the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale, Revised-Long Form (CTS); and (c) the Conners' Parent Rating Scale, Revised-Long Form (CPS). Children who met traditional criteria for giftedness (N = 90) were obtained from nearby public schools. Each was administered the TOVA and their parents and teachers completed a Conners' rating scale. The performance of these children was compared to normative data. It was hypothesized that: (a) gifted children would perform significantly better on the TOVA than normative children, and (b) no differences would be found between the performance of gifted children and the normative sample on both the CTS and CPS. The hypotheses were partially supported by the findings. Gifted children performed better on three of the five TOVA variables, but only for the younger children in the sample. In addition, no evidence of differences in scores was found between the gifted children and the normative sample on the CTS and CPS. The findings do, however, address the underlying clinical question regarding the appropriateness of using the normative data provided for the TOVA, CTS and CPS to assess ADHD in intellectually gifted children. Ultimately, the performance differences found for gifted children on the TOVA suggest that alternate TOVA norms are likely needed for younger ages. A rationale for adjusting the TOVA norms is proposed, and a few simple "rules of thumb" for transforming the age-based are summarized in an Adjustment Matrix. The differences on the CTS and CPS were found mostly for variables unrelated to ADHD and suggest that the normative data for the Conners' Scales can be used when assessing ADHD in gifted children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Views of giftedness have evolved from unilateral notions to multilateral conceptions. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological validity of the three-mathematical minds model (M3) developed by the author. The M3 is based on multilateral conceptions of giftedness to identify mathematically gifted students. Teachings of Poincare and Polya about mathematical ability as well as the theory of successful intelligence proposed by Sternberg (1997) provided the initial framework in the development of the M3. A secondary purpose was to examine the psychological validity of the three-level cognitive complexity model (C3) developed by the author. The C3 is based on studies about expertise to differentiate among gifted, above-average and average-below-average students at three levels. The author developed a test of mathematical ability based on the M 3 and C3 with the collaboration of mathematicians. The test was administered to 291 middle school students from four different schools. The reliability analysis indicated that the M3 had a .72 coefficient as a consistency of scores. Exploratory factor analysis yielded three separate components explaining 55% of the total variance. The convergent validity analysis showed that the M3 had medium to high-medium correlations with teachers' ratings of students' mathematical ability (r = .45) and students' ratings of their own ability (r = .36) and their liking of mathematics (r = .35). Item-subtest-total score correlations ranged from low to high. Some M3 items were found to be homogenous measuring only one aspect of mathematical ability, such as creative mathematical ability, whereas some items were found to be good measures of more than one facet of mathematical ability. The C3 accounted for 41% of variance in item difficulty (R square = .408, p < .001). Item difficulty ranged from .02 to .93 with a mean of .29. The analysis of the discrimination power of the three levels of the C3 revealed that level-two and level-three problems differentiated significantly among three ability levels, but level-one problems did not differentiate between gifted and above average students. The findings provide partial evidence for the psychological validity of both the M3 and C3 for the identification of mathematically gifted students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

At various times throughout history men of genius have been viewed either as mad or as sane and superior to the general population. This Project Demonstrating Excellence suggests that neither of these extreme views is correct and presents the view that giftedness is the product of a developmental process which involves the synergistic interaction of biological, psychological, and social/environmental forces. While this process may be facilitated by environmental stimulation and support, it may also be inhibited or arrested by oppressive socialization practices which stress conformity to average norms and promote a competitive quest for goods and power. Results of a survey of the life experiences and psychotherapeutic needs of 254 intellectually gifted adults and supplementary data derived from a small pilot survey of 18 psychotherapists suggest that many members of the gifted minority experience painful problems, including feelings of difference, interpersonal difficulties, and social isolation during adulthood as well as during childhood and adolescence. The survey results also suggest that gifted women experience difficulties as a result of their deviance from traditional sex-role norms and expectations. The survey data pertaining to psychotherapy are consistent with other research data demonstrating that positive therapeutic outcomes tend to be associated with therapist variables which include empathy, genuineness, positive regard for patients, nonpossessive warmth, and therapists' intensity and intimacy in therapeutic relationships with patients of all levels of intelligence. At the same time, the data suggest that psychotherapists must be highly intelligent and self-accepting enough not to experience feelings of threat, intimidation, awe, envy, competitiveness, and inadequacy when working with gifted patients and clients. Further analysis of the survey results suggests that therapists also need to be aware of the differing perceptions, experiences, problems, and needs of gifted adults in order to be optimally effective in working with them. These findings are placed within a biopsychosocial context, and recommendations are offered which call for further research and multimodal, integrative interventions on behalf of members of the gifted minority both in psychotherapy and elsewhere. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Gifted adults with learning disabilities (GALD) are a population that is often overlooked, undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed by educators. Because of their often "hidden" condition, these individuals are frequently troubled with a host of psychosocial problems. This study sought to identify unique characteristics of the GALD population with the hope of developing criteria to aid in diagnoses. A thorough search was conducted for relevant literature that examines characteristics of GALD as well as characteristics of the learning disabled (LD)-only and gifted-only populations (among others). The researcher developed an instrument that looked at how the characteristics clustered or grouped into various categories and how they discriminated among the three populations studied. The instrument was sent to an expert in the field to examine content validity. A pilot study was conducted to look at face validity. A field test was conducted at three major universities which supplied subjects for the three population groups of interest (GALD, LD-only, and gifted-only). The research question that guided this study was: "Can discriminations be made among college students who are GALD, LD-only, and gifted-only?" Parametric and nonparametric analyses were conducted. The results showed a clear distinction between the gifted group and both the GALD and LD groups. Some of the statements used in this instrument may help in the identification and characterization of certain individuals who are GALD. Analysis of the composite variables revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the students with a learning disability only and GALD when compared on a few items that characterized giftedness. Discriminant analysis was useful in understanding the distinctions. Results from a discriminant analysis led to the ability to predict group membership at significantly better-than-chance rates. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Attention is a necessary foundation for learning. Factors that have an effect on attention are maturation (Miller & Weiss, 1981; Gibson, 1992), gender (Brickenkamp & Zillmer, 1998) and intelligence (Silverman, Chitwood, & Waters, 1986; Sankar-Deleeuw, 2000). Chess requires students to use attentional skills to play and compete successfully. It has been shown to improve performance in traditional learning areas and can be a substantial bridge to intellectual and emotional growth (Bettelheim, 1997; Christiaen & Verholfstadt, 1978). Playing chess over a period of time has resulted in higher standardized test scores (Liptrap, 1998). Chess provides an intellectually stimulating and rewarding recreational activity (Schmidt, 1982; Rifner & Feldhusen, 1997) that fosters an appreciation for the consequences of actions and enhances planning skills, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills (Graham, 1985; Horgan, 1987). The goal was to examine attention in middle school students. The research question examined was: To what extent can variance in attention in middle school students be explained by gender, age, giftedness, and chess activity? These hypotheses were tested: (1) Gender is a significant predictor of attention in middle school students. (2) Age is a significant predictor of attention in middle school students. (3) Giftedness is a significant predictor of attention in middle school students. (4) Chess activity is a significant predictor of attention in middle school students. Thus, 126 middle school students from two metropolitan area middle schools were asked to complete a brief questionnaire about their chess activity, their identification as "gifted," gender, and age. Students then completed the d2 Test of Attention. The d2 Test measures processing speed, rule compliance, and quality of performance and estimates individual attention and concentration performance. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relation among the variables of giftedness, age, gender, chess activity and attention and to determine the influence of the four independent variables on attention. Total R equaled .572 with an R2 of .305, an adjusted R of .305. Three variables (age, gifted, chess activity) made significant contributions to the measure of attention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)