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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)

The present study investigated predictive relations between accelerated performance on tests of infant development, infant behavioral style, and performance on tests of cognitive and creative ability during adolescence. In addition, infant behavioral style was also examined as a means to enhance the predictive power of tests of infant development. The research area concerning infancy and the preschool years has mainly focused on the average child or deviations spanning below the mean. Similarly, much of the research within the area pertaining to the gifted and talented has focused on school age children, with little emphasis being placed on giftedness in the early years of life. The current study attempted to explore the areas of intelligence and creativity from a developmental perspective. This was done through a longitudinal follow-up of individuals who took part in research studies examining early indicators of intelligence, learning, and temperament as infants/toddlers. All participants of the current study obtained at least a standard score of 120 using the Mental Developmental Index of the BSID at the time of original participation. Thirty-two participants were obtained for use in the current study who were originally assessed as infants/toddlers approximately 12-19 years ago. Participants were administered the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth Edition, the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (Figural Form B), and also filled out an updated demographic information sheet. Prior research has determined lack of predictive validity between infant and later tests of cognitive ability due to the limited verbal nature of the early standardized tests and the largely verbal nature of later standardized intelligence tests. It is also believed that aspects of infant behavioral style may contribute to the predictive validity of early standardized scores for later intelligence. It was hypothesized that the Bayley MDI score obtained as an infant/toddler would be significantly related to later creative ability. It was also hypothesized that infant/toddler behavior rating scores for test-affect extraversion, task orientation, and duration of orienting, when taken together, would be significantly related to later cognitive ability. Lastly, it was hypothesized that the addition of the three infant/toddler behavior rating scores to the Bayley MDI score would improve the predictive power over and above that predicted by the MDI score alone, in relation to later cognitive ability. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses did not yield significant results for the hypotheses reported above. However, a curvilinear relationship suggests that extremely high scores (130 and above) obtained during infancy may be related to later creativity, a finding that needs to be further explored with a larger sample size. Implications of the findings, limitations of the study, and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

This study sought to link both cultural macrolevel explanations and microlevel interactions to account for Korean American students' psychosocial adaptation and academic achievement through their acculturative experiences. To examine acculturation characteristics and ethnic orientations, the Korean American Acculturation Scale and the Ethnic Orientation Scale were administered to 466 students and 197 of their parents in the New York City and Chicago areas. Students and parents were divided into four acculturation style groups by the median score on two factors in the EOS (Korean orientation and Other-group orientation): (a) assimilation, (b) integration, (c) marginalization, and (d) separation. Students also completed the Domain-Specific Self-Concept Scale and the Learning Styles Inventory-III (LSI, Renzulli et al., 2002). To survey teachers' perceptions about Korean American students as gifted, the revised Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students (Renzulli et al., 2002) was used. Seventy-nine teachers participated in this study. In addition, GreatSchools.net was used to collect contextual school data (e.g., school program, student-teacher ratio, school SES, and Asian student enrollment percentage). Ultimately 407 out of 466 students from 30 schools were analyzed by using a Hierarchical Linear Model (ELM) with two levels. Data were analyzed using a Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) to assess the significance of independent variables on dependent variables. For gender and generation effects on acculturation characteristics (behavior and cultural value), females were characterized by a slower behavior acculturation rate into the mainstream culture than males. The more recent generations were more behaviorally acculturated into the mainstream culture. However, the adaptation process in cultural values was slow and depended on the generational status of Korean Americans. Korean Americans have adapted to the mainstream society by incorporating and changing selected cultural values. For gender and acculturation style effects on self-concepts (Academic, Appearance, Popularity, and Sensitivity to negative expression), female students showed lower Appearance self-concept than male students. Among four acculturation styles, integration style students showed higher Academic and Appearance self-concept than any other acculturation style groups. In terms of learning style preferences, female students preferred Peer teaching to male students. There were differences among acculturation styles in Direct instruction and Projects. However, there were no significant differences in most learning styles between integration style and separation style students. For the effect of acculturation style on teachers' perceptions of Korean American students as gifted, there was no the significant effect. Rather, there was the significant effect of GPA. The macrolevel (school-level) contexts have effects on the microlevel (student-level) in using a HLM. This study provided a "holistic" understanding of how Korean American students translated their experiences, thoughts, and feelings into school adaptation and academic achievement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Measurement of the abilities of gifted children is challenging. Identifying patterns of performance for gifted children has proven elusive. The WJIII COG, a theory-driven measure, purports to provide information about a child's pattern of abilities, including areas previously not measured by other cognitive instruments. Only one study has addressed the relationship between the WJIII COG and gifted children. (Rizza, et al., 2001). The purpose of this study was to examine the WJIII COG's appropriateness for use with gifted children. Interpretive guidance when using the WJIII COG with gifted children was sought. The following question was addressed: Do children of high intellectual ability display distinct patterns of performance on the WJIII COG Stratum II variables. If so, do these patterns qualitatively differ from the performance of children of non-high intellectual ability? The participants for this study were taken from the standardization sample of WJIII COG participants (N = 3,145). The participants were divided into two groups: high intellectual ability, Group 1 (N = 389), and "other," (Group 2) (N = 2756). Group 1 participants had a GIA Standard score of 120 or above. The participants were further divided into three subgroups, determined by age: preschool, school-aged, and college-aged. Approximately half of the sample was male. White participants were the majority of the sample (77.4-87.9%). Most participants were non-Hispanic (91.3-94.9%). Means, standard deviations, ranges, minimum values, and maximum values, were obtained. WJIII COG Stratum II variables were paired and compared. The comparisons made were ranges and point differences. Cumulative percentages of point differences were calculated at the 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 point levels. Two primary findings emerged. The first finding was that Group 1 participants scored higher overall than Group 2 participants when averages were compared. The second finding was that no gifted profile emerged for Group 1. Although no gifted pattern emerged, there was a great deal of variability within individual student profiles for both Groups. It was suggested that further research be directed at whether subtypes of students with high abilities could be identified that would have clinical implications congruent with multidimensional theories of giftedness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Literature from various fields of research and biographical sketches of eminent individuals suggests that the key to socially constructive success as an adult may in large part lie beyond the relatively simple idea of intellectual capability. A set of six factors-Optimism, Courage, Romance with a Topic/Discipline, Sensitivity to Human Concerns, Mental/Physical Energy, and Vision/Sense of Destiny-related to cognitive development but not measurable by traditional cognitive tests were explored for the first time among students. Collectively, these factors are referred to as "co-cognitive factors" because of their interdependence with cognitive development, and they appear to be integral to considerations of social capital because of their close association with life satisfaction, disposition, personality, and well-being. A quantitative study with a correlational descriptive design was conducted using two forms of the Co-Cognitive Factors Scale (Co-CFS) and an associated survey with a convenient sample of high school juniors and seniors from 11 states. Data from this study were used to establish additional information regarding the content validity of the Co-CFS. Multivariate analyses, including MANOVA, MANCOVA, and canonical correlation, were conducted to examine the factors as a set with regard to motivation, happiness, student grade point average (GPA), and involvement in extracurricular activities (particularly those associated with community- or service-oriented work). Interaction involving GPA, optimism, Vision/Sense of Destiny, and motivation were identified. Results suggested inverse relationships that require additional research. Scale score means and alpha reliabilities were higher when students were thinking about topics or subjects of interest to them. Community-oriented extracurricular involvement, utilized as a proxy for social capital, was a significant contributor to the prediction of students' levels of Courage, Romance with a Topic/Discipline, and Sensitivity to Human Concerns. This study provided a first look at the distribution, relevance, and abundance of the co-cognitive factors among a high school student sample. Results from this first empirical study pertaining to co-cognitive factors support additional research on co-cognitive factors, which appear may be significant contributors to student success, personal satisfaction, and development of social capital. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)