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This study examined the talent development of five Davidson Fellowship science winners using the Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent. The Davidson Fellowship program recognizes students under the age of 18 who have completed a significant piece of original work in one of six fields: science, technology, mathematics, music, literature, or philosophy. Parents of four of the Fellows also participated in the multiple-case study, which used semi-structured phone interviews to gather data. The cross-case analysis of this multiple-case study revealed that the Fellows traveled multiple pathways to success. Each Fellow and his family took advantage of different educational options, formal and informal. No consistent educational programming existed across participants from different schools in different areas of the country, except AP® courses and science fairs. The Fellows encountered a number of different negative catalysts in the environment, including a lack of challenge in the public schools, inconsistent treatment by teachers and administrators, variable availability of challenging school and extracurricular opportunities, difficulties with peers, and challenging logistical arrangements necessary for participation in extracurricular opportunities. The strength of these negative catalysts was offset by a number of protective factors, or positive catalysts. The positive catalysts were both strong and numerous in each of the Fellows. Each Fellow presented evidence of very high ability. They were healthy. They were raised in supportive learning environments that encouraged taking risks, striving for excellence, and improvement over earning good grades. They had multiple supportive adults in their lives: parents, teachers, and mentors who created a layered support system. When one adult was not available, there were others on whom the student could depend in a crisis. The parent relationship was particularly strong. Each Fellow reported, and each of the parents confirmed, a uniquely supportive relationship with their parents marked by mutual respect and admiration. Each Fellow presented strong motivation for his work. Each displayed a candid awareness of his own strengths and weaknesses, and a willingness to confront and apply himself to remedy weaknesses. They all presented compelling evidence of a tenacious perseverance. Stronger than the negative catalysts, these positive catalysts worked in concert to protect the individual against failure or resignation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Twice-exceptionality can be defined as the co-occurrence of intellectual giftedness and disability, including academic, social-emotional, and behavioral problems. There is a lack of empirical research examining the area of twice-exceptionality; and, as a result, there is insufficient support for the current definitions, identification criteria, and interventions employed for twice-exceptional individuals. The heterogeneity of this population highlights the importance of exploring the cognitive patterns present among twice-exceptional individuals to facilitate the identification as well as the treatment of this population. The present study examined the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV; Wechsler, 2003) profiles of 95 twice-exceptional children and adolescents to facilitate the discovery of subtype patterns present among this group. A two-stage cluster analysis revealed 7 twice-exceptional subtypes that were differentiated primarily by level of performance on the 4 factor scores. The identified twice- exceptional subtypes provide information about characteristic strengths and weaknesses that not only facilitate the identification of twice-exceptional students, but also carry implications for educational intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

The current project is the first study to investigate the competence of academically gifted youth across multiple dimensions of the peer system. To date, there is no comprehensive examination of the social functioning of gifted youth, severely limiting what is known about the overall social world of gifted youth and the extent to which the subset of gifted youth with peer problems experience the same adjustment difficulties related to negative peer interactions. By examining how aspects of sociometric status, friendship and social network centrality relate to a myriad of outcome variables, the current study permits a comprehensive investigation of the risk profile associated with problematic peer relations among gifted youth within the adjustment domains (behavioral, academic and psychological functioning). Participants included 327 adolescents, 149 identified as gifted, who were initially assessed in the 7th grade and were then reassessed 2 years later. Consistent with prior research, findings from the current student provided evidence that academic giftedness was generally associated with more positive peer relations as well as more positive functioning across behavioral, academic and adjustment domains when compared to non-gifted adolescents. However, findings from the current study did not find evidence suggesting that gifted youth experience significantly less peer problems than their non-gifted peers. As such, the current study substantiates predictions that there are indeed subgroups of gifted youth who experience peer problems and they were found to be similarly at risk as non-gifted adolescents with peer problems regarding negative behavioral, academic and psychological adjustment. However, the most alarming finding revealed that the negative effects of being rejected were more pronounced for gifted students, who were the most victimized students in the entire sample, even more than non-gifted peers who were rejected. Findings from the current study highlight the complexity of the social world of gifted adolescents and underscore the importance for future research to continue examining the social difficulties of gifted youth. Limitations and implications of these results are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

The purpose of this study was to determine what has been written about family therapy in the school setting in the professional literature of the fields of family studies, family therapy, and education from 1999 to July 2010. Selected terms related to systemic family therapy in the school setting were used to search 18 scholarly/academic journals for articles on this topic. The number of articles found was presented as a percentage of the total number of articles published in the journal in the specified period of time. The professions of the authors of the articles were presented. The articles that met the selection criteria were qualitatively analyzed for themes. One predominant theme emerged through analysis of the texts: the usefulness of systemic family therapy in the school setting. No article was found that did not support the use of family therapy in schools. Passages of text from the articles were presented to illustrate the theme. Most articles discussed the usefulness of family therapy in the school setting for children's behavior problems. Texts illustrated the uses of family therapy in the school setting for diverse issues including selective mutism, giftedness, disability, asthma management, and dating adolescent couples. Conclusions from this content analysis, along with limitations and implications, are discussed. Recommendations for future research in the three fields, family studies, family therapy, and education, in the area of family therapy in the school setting are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

The study examined parents’ help-seeking behavior during the gifted identification process. The literature on help seeking reveals an extensive body of research. However, the research exploring parents’ help-seeking behavior for gifted children is nonexistent, despite the fact that children identified as gifted frequently experience academic, social, emotional and behavioral problems. Parents of children who had been identified as gifted were surveyed to (a) identify the number, type and variety of informal and formal sources parents consult when they suspect their child is gifted, and (b) identify socio-demographic characteristics (gender, age, education, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity) associated with these patterns of help seeking. Informal sources included family members, friends, parent groups, Internet research, and books and articles on giftedness. Formal sources included teachers, pediatricians, psychologists, and other mental health professionals. Of those surveyed, 86% reported that academic issues were important or very important in their decision to seek help during the gifted identification process, while 66% reported that social, emotional, or behavioral issues were important or very important in their decision. Parents reported consulting an average of four informal or formal sources of support, and the majority of parents reported equal use of informal and formal sources. Results indicated that, similar to help seeking patterns for mental health or medical issues, a vast majority of respondents consulted both informal and formal sources. Although the results of this study did not support a significant correlation between parents’ overall help-seeking approach and socio-demographic variables, certain variables were significantly correlated with use of informal versus formal sources. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Gifted research often focuses on perfectionism as a common trait of gifted children (Adderholdt-Elliott, 1991; Hollingworth, 1926; Lovecky, 1994). While historically perfectionism was viewed as a negative trait of giftedness (Hollingworth, 1926; Roeper, 1982), recent research has shown that perfectionism is a multidimensional trait that has both adaptive and maladaptive styles (Rice & Ashby, 2007; Rice et al., 1998). Research indicates that style of perfectionism may in part be predicted by parental criticism (Speirs-Neumeister, 2004), gender (Schuler, 2000), and culture (Castro & Rice, 2003). Furthermore, adaptive perfectionism has been linked to greater life satisfaction (Ashby & Rice, 2002), and this relationship has been shown to be influenced by a number of socio-emotional variables in gifted children, including anxiety (Stornelli, Flett, & Hewitt, 2009), self-concept (Rice, Kubal, & Preusser, 2004), and achievement motivation (Chan, 2009b). The purpose of this study was to extend our understanding of the relationship between perfectionism and life satisfaction in gifted children as it relates to parental criticism, culture, gender, anxiety, self-concept, and achievement motivation. Three proposed models were compared to clarify these relationships. Seventy participants were asked to participate in the study and complete self-report measures. The participants ranged in age from 7 to 10 and were recruited from a gifted pull-out program in a Mid-Atlantic upper middle class school district. An additional teacher-report measure was used, as well as a behavioral manipulation check. It was hypothesized that culture and gender would have a significant relationship with perfectionism and parental criticism, which would in turn have significant relationships with anxiety, self concept, and achievement motivation. All of these variables were hypothesized to contribute to life satisfaction. Specifically, it was hypothesized that being of a minority culture and being male were likely to lead to experiencing higher parental criticism and maladaptive or non-perfectionism, which would lead to higher anxiety, lower self concept, and extrinsic achievement motivation, which would lead to lower life satisfaction. Correspondingly, it was hypothesized that being of the majority culture and being female were likely to lead to experiencing lower parental criticism and an adaptive style of perfectionism, which would lead to lower anxiety, higher self concept, and intrinsic motivation, which would lead to higher life satisfaction. The three models were developed to determine the most parsimonious relationship between these variables. The present study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the mediation of these variables in three hypothesized models. In addition, linear regression was used to analyze possible moderators. A fourth post-hoc model was constructed using the significant paths from the three hypothesized model in an attempt to find the most parsimonious model with the best fit. Overall, the models accounted for a significant amount of variance, and many of the variables were reliable predictors of life satisfaction. Post hoc model number four was the most parsimonious model with the best fit, and indicated that being of a minority culture significantly predicts higher levels of parental criticism, which predict maladaptive or non-perfectionism, higher anxiety, lower self concept, and extrinsic motivation, which are all significant predictors of lower life satisfaction. Likewise, a student of majority culture is likely to experience lower parental criticism, which results in an adaptive style of perfectionism, lower anxiety, higher self concept, and intrinsic motivation, which all contribute to higher life satisfaction. Implications for future research and school interventions were also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

The examination of the relationship between race and education continues today as diversity across the country increases, while achievement scores remain stagnant or decreases. Among K-12 public education students in the United States, 7% are identified as gifted with ¾ categorized as Caucasian. Gifted students of color are a minority within an already minority community. This case study explores the influences and impact of race, education, and giftedness among four gifted high school students of color. The participants shared in their understanding of the following: what it meant to be labeled as smart; relating with friends and the importance of their support; strength of family as the key to their involvement; few minorities within the school and program; rigor of gifted classes; status within the school; and culture at home. The lack of critical mass among ethnic minorities within the community and school, particularly within the gifted population, had an impact on student understanding and perceptions of the role of race. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Purpose and Method of Study. The purpose of this study was to generate a theory of the factors that influence gifted student underachievement. The researcher analyzed the experiences of high school students to develop a better understanding as to why these students failed to live up to their academic potential. Data were collected from interviews with underachieving high school students representing high schools in five school districts in the upstate region of South Carolina. The participants in this study were classified gifted as outlined by the state of South Carolina's definition of giftedness. All the students were identified by their school counselors as having underachieved and met the criteria for underachievement established by the researcher. The data for this study were analyzed by using the Strauss and Corbin (1998) method of data analysis of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Open coding was the process by which initial concepts were identified, coded, and placed into categories. In axial coding the categories and their respective codes were reevaluated and presented schematically. The selective coding process was used to develop a story line that integrated the categories that resulted from axial coding and to identify a core category from among the previously identified categories. Findings and Conclusions. The theory developed pursuant to this study identified the lack of self-motivation as the major cause of gifted student underachievement at the high school level. The theory indicated that the interaction of several factors ultimately led to the lack of self-motivation, which in turn caused the underachievement. A review of those factors and their respective categories identified areas of concern in gifted student education. An understanding of those categories and their resultant interactions are essential to an understanding of gifted student underachievement. Those individuals who have an interest in or a responsibility for the education of gifted students should be knowledgeable of the theory postulated as a result of this study. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

A differentiated curriculum for the gifted provides learning experiences that are challenging, interesting, satisfying, useful in the application to the real world, transferable to other disciplines and content areas, and allows for choice. While a differentiated curriculum is necessary for gifted learners, students' attitudes, opinions, and perceptions of the differentiated curriculum are seldom sought. This study examined highly gifted, gifted, and perceived gifted students' perceptions of the elements of a differentiated curriculum defined by the California GATE Standards (2005). The population included gifted students in grades 3–5 from three suburban private schools in Southern California. Quantitative methods and descriptive statistics were used to analyze how gifted students perceived the vignettes on a survey questionnaire depicting examples of a differentiated curriculum. Students' responses also indicated how different formal and informal methods of identification of giftedness affected students' perceptions of challenge, choice, interest, satisfaction, usefulness, and transfer in relationship to their curricular experiences. The findings revealed that highly gifted, gifted, and perceived gifted students identified curricular elements representing the differentiated curriculum positively, and that formally identified gifted students' perceptions of challenge of the differentiated curriculum (51%) were significantly different and lower than formally identified highly gifted (87%) and informally perceived gifted (95%) students' perceptions. Gifted students' perceptions of interdisciplinary connections were significantly different and lower than perceived gifted students. The results indicated that for a better match between the concepts of a differentiated curriculum and the learner, teachers and students need to be collaborators in the teaching and learning processes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Current research suggests that gifted students possess a unique set of characteristics that require unique skills and knowledge to address properly. School counselors are in a position to address the unique needs of gifted students provided they have the knowledge required for effective interaction. School counselors are called to provide multiple services for all students in the school setting; among those services are to advocate for student needs as well as to maintain a level of knowledge that will facilitate effective advocacy. Although the current literature suggests that school counselors possess the unique skills to address the needs of gifted students, literature is limited in the area of school counselor advocacy for gifted students, and no studies have addressed school counselor self-efficacy for advocacy of gifted students. The purpose of this study was to investigate how self-efficacy, knowledge of gifted issues, and understanding of professional advocacy competencies relate to school counselors' advocacy activities with gifted students. Quantitative methodology was used to answer the research questions. Professional school counselors completed a series of four instruments that comprised the survey for this study. Participants completed the survey either online or on paper between the months of January and June 2011. SPSS Version 19.0 for Windows was used to complete the statistical analyses for this study, which included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and regression.The results of this study indicated that knowledge of giftedness, self-efficacy, and building level, significantly predicted school counselors' advocacy competency and activity with gifted students. However, training program and years of experience were not significant predictors of school counselors' advocacy activity with gifted students. Implications for school counselors are increased knowledge of gifted needs and increased advocacy activity for gifted students. In order for school counselors to provide appropriate services to gifted students, it is important to increase their knowledge of the population. This increased knowledge will help school counselors to be more inclusive of gifted students and their needs when developing comprehensive school counseling programs. In addition, this increased knowledge may assist school counselors with becoming active participants in services for gifted students within the school environment. Future research should further explore the level of advocacy activity of school counselors with gifted students and the importance of self-efficacy for school counselors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)