Su búsqueda

To satisfy the needs of cognitively gifted children, it is important to get a timely perspective on their cognitive capacities. In this study we investigated the early predictors of high cognitive ability. In a longitudinal study among 4,131 children we predicted, based on information collected in kindergarten, which children would score among the top 10% in cognitive abilities in Grade 3. The results showed that, already in kindergarten, cognitively gifted children demonstrated an advanced scholarly development, in particular in the mathematical domain, as documented both by standardized tests and teacher evaluations. Cognitively gifted children also demonstrated more independent participation in class and a stronger task commitment. Second, the study considered which gifted students encountered academic problems throughout their school career. Some early indications of later problems were already observable in kindergarten, in particular in lower scores on math and language tests, in hyperactive or easily distractable behaviour and in student-teacher-conflicts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract) Resumen en idioma originalTijdig een zicht krijgen op kleuters met sterke cognitieve vermogens, kan helpen om de behoeften van deze kinderen beter te beantwoorden. In dit artikel onderzochten we de vroege signalen van cognitieve begaafdheid. In een longitudinale studie bij 4.131 kinderen voorspelden we, op basis van informatie verzameld in de kleuterklas, wie in het derde leerjaar tot de top 10% zou behoren wat betreft cognitieve vaardigheden. Cognitief begaafde kinderen bleken vaak al in de kleuterklas over een ontwikkelingsvoorsprong (vastgesteld met gestandaardiseerde tests en/of een leerkrachtbeoordeling) te beschikken, waarbij vooral een voorsprong op het vlak van rekenen predictief was voor cognitieve begaafdheid. Cognitief begaafde kleuters vertoonden ook een meer onafhankelijke participatie aan het klasgebeuren en een toegewijde werkhouding. Daarnaast bekeken we welke van deze begaafde kinderen doorheen hun schoolloopbaan later problemen ondervonden. Ook deze problemen bleken zich al enigszins in de kleuterklas te manifesteren, met name in lage scores op de reken-en taaltoets, in conflicten met de leerkracht en in hyperactief-afleidbaar gedrag. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

This article introduces the construct of personal talent curation. Personal talent curation is one’s assessment of one’s talents—of one’s strengths and weaknesses—but also the building of an adaptive match in life between those talents and both one’s career pursuits and one’s personal lifestyle. Sometimes, this match means pursuing a lifelong passion, but other times, it means giving up that passion or transforming it into a passion that works in the broader context of the life one seeks for oneself. For example, one may be an exceptionally talented musician, scientist, or artist, but the concomitants of a life building relentlessly on those talents—competition, professional jealousy, and continual critiques—just do not fit the kind of life one wishes to lead. In such cases, it may turn out that what in a profession or in society is viewed as a “failure” or a “derailment” may represent a personal adaptive success. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Comments on an article by Scott J. Peters (see record 2022-20183-002). Peters has made excellent suggestions for how to increase diversity and equitable representation in identification of gifted children. His approach, however, is based on current models of what constitutes “giftedness.” This approach is incomplete and, taken on its own, perhaps suboptimal. I would suggest a complementary approach. We need to start taking seriously the need to identify and nurture the fully transformationally gifted. Nurturing them means presenting gifted children not just with academic problems that have little relevance to the life problems they will need to solve later, but also presenting them with problems that are ecologically valid, such as problems of how to deal with the challenges the world is facing today. It’s nice to excel transactionally; it’s better to excel by making a positive, meaningful, and potentially enduring difference to the world—to make the world a better place. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Comments on an article by Scott J. Peters (see record 2022-20183-002). Peters’ correctly argues that while racism negatively affects students of color, psychometric bias is not the primary cause for racial disparities in gifted identification. However, the conclusion that “the existence of disproportionality does not make gifted services inherently racist,” does not follow. Any system that predictably results in racial disparity is contributing to systemic racism even without test bias. Given the history of racism in gifted education, radical change is needed. Hoping small shifts in identification strategy will lead to any meaningful real change is wishful thinking that is not supported by past efforts. Racism has proven to be so pernicious because it is able to continue despite the good intentions of kind people. The question cannot be, how do we mitigate bias in identification. The burden of proof is on advocates of gifted education to demonstrate how identification supports racial equity. In absence of this demonstration, we need to let go of identification. Instead, gifted education can embrace strategies that address the problems gifted students face, such as appropriate challenge, but address those problems in ways that truly prioritizes centering racial equity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

This study described exceptional items in human figure drawings (HFDs) which have been discussed as possible expressions of intellectual giftedness. The aim was to serve as a first step in the development of a screener for HFDs that can be used as part of the identification process of gifted children. We examined the frequency of occurrence of 158 items in HFDs of 206 children aged 4 to 6 years (17 potentially gifted). Fine details and additions to the human figure turned out to be exceptional, especially in drawings of 4-year-olds. Several exceptional items were drawn more frequently or exclusively by potentially gifted children. Descriptively, exceptionality in drawings of potentially gifted children was most visible in HFDs of 4-year-olds, and tended to become less visible with age. Further research with larger samples is required to draw solid conclusions about HFDs of gifted children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Theoretical and practical work in gifted education has been dominated by mechanistic precision in measurements designed to select students for gifted programs and guide them through their development. Too much faith in mechanistic precision can become a form of dogmatism that obscures very important, less-measurable dimensions of human ability. This interdisciplinary analysis explores this form of dogmatism while illustrating some ways in which it misaligns gifted education with turbulent, complex 21 st-century trends and issues. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

As societies move toward a deeper engagement with humanitarianism and egalitarianism, education systems have increasingly embodied a commitment to principles of inclusion. The field of gifted and talented education (GATE) has reflected these changes in recent discussions around equity, diversity, and inclusive practices. This article aims to re-examine the practices of gifted education and rethink the possibility of generating an egalitarianism-based, GATE-derived inclusive education discourse that can serve as a parallel to the predominant humanitarianism-drive inclusive education movement. Within a discourse of self-actualization, we propose framing “gifted” as a process-based, rather than person-based, construct that applies to all students as they are enabled to transact their gifts and talents through engaging in a “gift-ed” process through honing self-knowledge and learning gifted behaviors. We advocate the use of person-first language, (i.e., students with advanced learning needs/advanced and special learning needs (ALN/ASLN)) that will encourage specific interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Gifts can be individually, dyadically, or collectively chosen and oriented. Society, in its identification of the gifted, has chosen to focus on individual and sometimes dyadic goods. This practice represents a culture of individualism, but it has become solipsistic. We argue that identification instead should focus on those most likely to help to achieve a collective common good—who will bestow on others, gifts that are broadly beneficial especially to those most in need of help. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

The purpose of this study was to explore the primary school teachers’ experiences about teaching gifted students and students with disabilities in the resource room. Thirteen teachers who work with students with disabilities and 11 teachers who work with gifted students participated in this qualitative study. The data were collected using structured interviews and semi-structured focus group interviews and analysed using content analysis. The findings indicated that the advantages and disadvantages of the resource room programmes differed for both groups of students. The teachers of both groups also expressed different advantages and disadvantages of working in the resource rooms for themselves. Some of the problems of the resource room programme were insufficient materials, inadequate facility, and unqualified personnel. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Although it has been hypothesized that gifted students are at risk for adopting a fixed mind-set, research revealed inconsistent results. We aimed to clarify this by differentiating between two operationalizations of giftedness (high cognitive ability and formal identification as gifted) and how these relate to students’ beliefs about intelligence and effort. Also, we examined the role of parental antecedents on students’ beliefs. Participants were 3,329 seventh-grade students and their parents. Only being labeled as gifted was related to adopting a fixed mind-set. Regarding parental antecedents, parents’ intelligence and effort beliefs were related to students’ corresponding beliefs. Furthermore, parental feedback was associated with students’ beliefs, which was most pronounced when student-reports of feedback were used. In particular, person-oriented feedback related positively to a fixed mind-set and negatively to students’ appreciation of the role of effort in academic performance, while process-oriented feedback showed the opposite pattern. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

In a recent position statement, the National Association of Gifted Children argued the importance of providing equitable treatment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and other sexual and gender minority individuals (LGBTQ +) gifted youth to help them maximize their potential. However, there are very few empirical studies focusing on the intersection of giftedness and gender identities. Little is known regarding these students’ experience at, and outside of, school. Focusing on the individual process of gender identity development and self-acceptance, we interviewed nine LGBTQ + postsecondary students in North America (aged between 19 and 29 years) who are graduates of an academically focused high school in Turkey. In particular, we studied their ways of thinking, stress coping strategies, and environmental factors that may have enabled their self-acceptance of LGBTQ + identities. Findings of the study show that the mental health of LGBTQ + is a function of individual factors (e.g., coping strategies), structural factors (e.g., a homophobic sociocultural environment), and the context. The findings also indicate the benefits of complexity and reflectiveness in thinking, metacognition and the ability to separate identity labels from identities, enabled by high school peer support, liberal curriculum and classroom discussions, and access to information during adolescence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

It is common practice in the educational system to foster high mathematical abilities in schools as well as in specific promotional programs. Still, little is known about the construct of mathematical giftedness itself. In line with intellectual investment theories, our study investigates the relationship between fluid intelligence (figural and numerical), openness, and the need for cognition with mathematical abilities. The current study is based on a sample (N = 115) of seventh graders participating in the application process for a promotion program. The results of our regression analyses show a positive link between fluid intelligence and mathematical abilities. However, neither the association with openness nor the need for cognition reached significance, emphasizing the importance of cognitive abilities for mathematical giftedness. Limitations and further directions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

This study examined Finnish eighth graders’ (N = 1136) educational aspirations and how those can be predicted by mindsets, academic achievement, and gender. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate how two mindset constructs (intelligence and giftedness), domain-specific academic performance (mathematics and reading), and gender relate to students’ educational aspirations on three levels (academic, vocational, and unknown). The growth mindset about giftedness was found to predict unknown aspirations, whereas the growth mindset about intelligence did not predict educational aspirations. High performance in math predicted students’ academic aspirations, but performance in reading did not predict educational aspirations. Gender-related differences were found, as boys seem to have vocational aspirations, but the effect did not penetrate all schools. Lastly, students’ aspirations differed between schools: from some schools, students are more likely to apply to university, while from other schools, students are more likely to apply to vocational education. Overall, the study demonstrated that a growth mindset does not directly predict academic aspirations, and the relationship between implicit beliefs and educational outcomes might be more complex than suggested. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Accurate assessment and early identification of gifted children is of great importance in terms of providing them with educational programs tailored for their abilities in specific areas. Individually administered intelligence tests are widely used to identify gifted children, and an above-average level of intellectual capacity is generally accepted as the main criterion for giftedness. This study aimed to investigate the utility of the Turkish version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) to distinguish gifted children from non-gifted children. For this purpose, 201 gifted children and 201 non-gifted children were included in the study. To be able to determine the predictive power of the WISC-IV index and subtest scores, logistic regression analyses were performed. Results indicated that the Perceptual Reasoning Index, Working Memory Index, and Processing Speed Index scores (except Verbal Comprehension Index score), and all subtest scores significantly predicted giftedness. Furthermore, correct classification rates among gifted children were 93% for index scores and 97% for subtest scores. The findings of this study suggest that intelligence scores obtained from the WISC-IV have a diagnostic utility and provide valid and reliable results in identifying gifted children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

For more than 90 years, terminology related to giftedness in Brazil has evolved, proliferating terms used to describe gifted individuals. Terms such as superdotado (the common translation of gifted into Portuguese) may lead lay people to think of gifted students as only those with extremely high ability or extraordinary capabilities and is often used in a way that carries a negative connotation. On the other hand, terms such as high ability student, which is associated with academics, and talented, which suggests artistic endeavors, may not capture the full range of possible areas in which a student can be gifted. We argue that because terminology is important and can influence policy and practice, it is crucial to have clear definitions, but it is even more important to go beyond terms to clarify the phenomenon of giftedness, disseminate relevant research, and inform parents of gifted students and professionals working with these students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

To determine if a person is gifted or not, the government sets the criteria of identification since giftedness is an abstract concept. However, the standard has always been decided and affected by the attitudes of the education authority and the allocation of resources. The opportunities for some potential learners to participate in gifted programs are often closed because of high identification criteria on standardized tests, especially intelligence tests. To bridge the achievement and the opportunity gaps between regular and gifted students with disabilities or different cultural backgrounds, educators are encouraged to apply the talent development model to develop hidden potential rather than focus on identification or labeling students as “gifted.” Every child is unique and has strengths and weakness. It is time to change the rigid concept of giftedness and expand the concept to discover multiple talents. The most important aspect is no longer defining intelligence merely as g or IQ. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Recent studies have demonstrated the strong influence emotions have on the holistic growth of children with conventional development. Moreover, there is an increasing body of evidence suggesting that the affective-emotional component could play a major role in the cognitive and psychological wellbeing of children and adolescents with nonstandard development or atypical skills. In this regard, in the current opinion article we discuss the likelihood that the affective-emotional component is one of the definitory elements of gifted children and teenagers showing high intellectual capacities. While some authors claim that intellectual giftedness is associated with strong social-emotional capacities and relate high intellectual ability with the acquisition and development of techniques to compensate for potential psycho-social issues, other authors suggest that gifted children are potentially more vulnerable and have additional social-emotional needs as compared with their peers. The current uncertainty in the literature is a barrier to adequately inform and orient psychological and educational actions, and empirical data is required to fully comprehend the genuine meaning of giftedness and its relationship with emotional processing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

This work systematically reviewed past literature to investigate the association between intellectual giftedness and socio-emotional and/or behavioral disorders. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria, 17 of which have children and/or adolescents as participants, and 12 have a non-gifted control group. Socio-emotional problems, such as withdrawal, were found in 3 out of 8 studies; internalizing disorders, such as anxiety, were found in 5 out of 9; externalizing disorders, such as hyperactivity, were found in 3 out of 5. The most investigated comorbidity was attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. A univocal conclusion on the relationship between intellectual giftedness and socio-emotional/behavioral problems cannot be drawn, principally because of the heterogeneity of participants’ age, informants, and instruments. The review highlights the need for future studies to use multi-informant and comprehensive assessments, to reach more robust findings, and suggests that age and discrepancy between verbal and non-verbal intellectual abilities should be considered critical factors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

The assessment of intellectual giftedness is often based on intelligence tests. In order to estimate the consistencies of the identification of intellectually gifted adolescents with three different intelligence tests, a sample of 9 th graders ( N = 562) worked on three conceptually similar intelligence tests assessing figural reasoning. The correlations of the three intelligence tests were of medium to high effect size. Regarding the interpretation of the diagnostic results, the diagnostic conclusion (“gifted” or “not-gifted”) based on the different test results was only partially consistent. The implications of the results are discussed regarding the relevance of test-specific diagnoses of intellectual giftedness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract) Resumen en idioma originalIm Zuge einer Diagnostik intellektueller Hochbegabung werden zumeist Intelligenztests eingesetzt. Um abzuschätzen, inwieweit das diagnostische Fazit („hochbegabt“ vs. „nicht hochbegabt“) bei der Verwendung mehrerer Intelligenztests vom spezifisch eingesetzten Intelligenztest abhängt, wurden die korrelativen und klassifikatorischen Übereinstimmungen von drei konzeptionell ähnlichen Testverfahren zum figuralen reasoning (CFT 20-R, KFT-N, SPM) anhand einer größeren Stichprobe ( N = 562; 9. Klassenstufe) ermittelt. Trotz mindestens mittelhoher Testinterkorrelationen stimmte das diagnostische Fazit „hochbegabt“ nur zum Teil überein. Insbesondere die Implikationen für die diagnostische Praxis werden diskutiert. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Courage may be the most important gift of all. It is not something we are born with. It is not something that, for the most part, we learn in school. Rather, it is a choice that anyone can make—if they are willing to pay the price. This article discusses the gift of courage. It discusses what courage is, why it is important, and why it crucially needs to be incorporated into contemporary discourse about giftedness. It is courage, perhaps more than any other form of giftedness, that will determine what this world becomes—or does not become. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)