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

Given the critical need to nudge congregants toward sustainable service, surprisingly few studies have explored the possibility of internalizing Christian beliefs and practices through intrinsically motivating ministry activities. According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), an emerging meta-theory of adult motivation, such activities consistently move individuals from external to internal regulation of behavior. Perceiving undeveloped believers as marginalized members of Christ's body, this emancipatory study sought to build awareness of the need to empower all believers to make kingdom contributions through intrinsically-motivated service that internalizes orthodox faith. Following protocols of a qualitative single case study, the researcher explored the rich perceptions and divergent meanings associated with church-sponsored service among a critical array of stakeholders in a thriving evangelical church. In a vivid portrait gleaned from observations, interviews and documents, SDT's theoretical lens shaped the questions, informed the data, and inspired the cause. In the process, traditional assumptions about servant leadership, Christian formation, and spiritual giftedness were challenged. The study's ultimate aim was to stimulate meaningful dialogue on the need to reform church structures that foster Christian formation through inherently satisfying, Spirit-empowered ministry. Organizing the data under the SERVE acronym, the researcher concludes with a motivational model of Christian service. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

During the last two decades of the twentieth century, some researchers and practitioners in gifted education adopted the belief that overexcitabilities (OEs), from Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration, are more prevalent in gifted adolescents that in other adolescents. This belief led to recommendations for gifted education, including the recommendation that affective skills are taught in gifted programs. This mixed-methods study was conducted to test secondary teacher perceptions of OEs, and determine if consistent data exists to recommend affective instruction in secondary gifted education. Five secondary English teachers from one Missouri school district completed questionnaires on 37 gifted and 37 non-gifted students, and participated in a teacher focus group to provide data on their perceptions. A comparison of the quantitative and qualitative data showed agreement of higher OEs in gifted secondary students in the area of intellectual OEs, but not in sensual, imaginational, psychomotor, or emotional OEs. When comparing this result to other studies, great inconsistency in the literature is noted, except in the area of intellectual OEs. With studies consistently showing higher intellectual OEs in gifted adolescents, it is recommended that secondary gifted education provide academically and intellectually challenging curriculum. It is possible that inconsistencies in the literature are due to variations in conceptions of giftedness and differences in identification procedures, creating inconsistent samples in studies. It is, therefore, also recommended that consistent identification procedures are adopted, even if only for the purpose of research, so accurate and reliable data can lead to well-supported conclusions about gifted students and gifted education. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Programs for gifted students have been criticized for narrowly defining giftedness as merely cognitive or academic performance. Teacher referrals are usually an important component of identifying gifted students. Teacher perceptions, low expectations, and lack of cultural competence are perceived as barriers to the access of Gifted and Talented Education programs for African American students. This study examined the impact of teachers’ knowledge of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory (Gardner, 1983, 2006, 2011) on their perception of giftedness in the referral of African American students to Gifted and Talented Education programs. Research questions were: (a) What is teachers’ knowledge of the current district criteria for referral of students to Gifted and Talented programs? (b) Are there differences in the conceptions of referral criteria of teachers with training in MI Theory vs. teachers without training in MI Theory? (c) Are there differences in teacher attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs on giftedness in teachers having training in MI Theory vs. teachers having no training in MI Theory? (d) How do cultural factors impact teacher perceptions of giftedness in African American students, in teachers with training in MI Theory vs. teachers without training in MI Theory, and the referral of African American students to Gifted and Talented Education programs? Using a mixed-methods approach, a quasi-experimental design and qualitative inquiry were utilized. Findings indicated that all teachers demonstrated limited knowledge of district referral criteria. However, teachers having MI Theory training demonstrated greater knowledge of the district’s Alternative Referral and Identification Criteria. Conceptual differences were found in the need for alternative pathways such as peer nominations. Findings noted differences for teachers having training in MI Theory with greater knowledge of characteristics of giftedness and the impact of that knowledge on cultural factors relating to students’ use of non-standard English in the perception of giftedness. Greater focus on leadership is needed in the current federal definition of giftedness. Overall, findings suggested that training in Multiple Intelligence Theory provides a framework for greater understanding of the multifaceted attributes of intelligence, which may result in greater opportunities to identify non-traditional areas of giftedness in African American students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)

Since the implementation of NCLB initiatives, rural K-12 teachers in Middle Georgia have been working to gain highly qualified status in their area of certification. These educators have faced struggles that are characteristic of rural schools to include: limited resources, isolated geographic locations, and lack of funds. The In-field Gifted Endorsement Program has been offered by local regional education service agencies (RESAs) supporting schools in the region. Participation in this program enabled teachers to receive the necessary professional development training for gaining K-12 gifted certification. The purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to provide in-depth descriptions of the experiences of nine K-12 teachers' participation in the same In-field Gifted Endorsement Program implemented at multiple sites in rural, Middle Georgia. The single case study further sought to describe how these experiences may have affected teacher participants' pedagogical practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine rural, K-12 teachers who had participated in the In-field Gifted Endorsement Program. Transcripts from the interviews, teacher-created documents provided by participants, and course syllabi of the professional development program were analyzed using open coding to search for emerging themes. Emerging themes from the analysis include: understanding and recognizing giftedness, importance of differentiating instruction, effective facilitator, choice, significance of challenge and change in thinking, collaboration with colleagues, and change in practice. The results from this study add to the limited research on professional development for rural K-12 teachers seeking additional gifted certification. In addition, results indicate that further research should be considered in professional development of rural teachers of gifted so that curriculum and program developers consider providing teacher participants opportunities for choice, challenge, and collaboration with colleagues to assist change in thinking and practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of ten gifted certified teachers in an urban Title I elementary school in order to gain an understanding of gifted certified teachers' lived experiences with identifying gifted traits in their students and with gifted identified students of diverse populations, and to also understand what these experiences meant to the participants. A qualitative, exploratory, phenomenological study was used. The theoretical context of the study was to explore attribution theory as it applied to the lived experiences of ten gifted certified teachers with identifying gifted traits in their students and with gifted identified students of diverse populations in an urban Title I elementary school. The central question explored was: What are gifted certified teachers' experiences in an urban Title I elementary school? Three corollary questions were employed: What is the experience of a gifted certified teacher with identifying gifted traits in their students? What is the experience of a gifted certified teacher with gifted identified students of diverse populations? What does the term giftedness mean to gifted certified teachers? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, using ten open-ended questions, with the participants regarding their lived experiences with identifying gifted traits in their students and with gifted identified students of diverse populations. The study was an exploratory study of gifted certified teachers' lived experiences with identifying gifted traits in their students and with gifted identified students of diverse populations. The population of interest was eleven gifted certified teachers, in an urban Title I elementary school. The intent of the researcher for using educators within an urban Title I elementary school was to produce detailed descriptions of the participants' lived experiences. The population sample was voluntary participants who were gifted certified. The sole purpose for the findings of the study was for this dissertation. No information was shared with the school board or principal of the school. The implications for further research were to develop a broader area of study, including rural school districts and other urban school districts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)

The objective of this dissertation is to offer a series of analyses that contribute to the validation of the Aurora Battery, a cognitive assessment based on Robert J. Sternberg's theory of Successful Intelligence that is currently under development. Convergent validity will be examined by exploring how objective and subjective measures of the battery converge, through the novel application of the Correlated Trait Correlated Method-1, a specialized confirmatory factor analysis model that allows subjective measures to be compared against an objective measure. The predictive validity of Aurora will be shown by highlighting Aurora's ability to help predict students' school grade point average through latent growth curve models that are extended into path models. Divergent validity will be demonstrated by establishing sensitivity and specificity between the Aurora Battery and the TerraNova tests. Finally, the current state of the field of giftedness and possible future directions will be discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

This qualitative study was designed to explore the experiences and perceptions of a group of mothers whose elementary school-aged children met the criteria for intellectual giftedness in an Ontario school board. Guided by Beach and Mitchell's image theory and Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, the study sought to identify (a) the meanings mothers ascribed to the concept of giftedness, (b) their experiences of the assessment, identification and placement process, and (c) the factors deemed important to educational decision making. A postpositivist orientation and rigorous qualitative research methods were employed. Data were collected in two phases: an internet-based survey comprised of demographic items and open ended questions, followed by in-depth interviews with five purposefully selected participants. Resultant data from 45 surveys and 15 interviews were coded and organized according to the survey questions and central elements of the theoretical framework. Eight research findings revealed that the experience of mothering gifted children was complex, challenging, emotional, and at times, isolating. Many mothers struggled with the concept of giftedness and how it pertained to their children. As mothers navigated the assessment, identification and placement process, the lack of accessible, timely, and consistent information from the school board posed a considerable barrier, prompting many to reach out to other parents of gifted children for information and support. Factors deemed important to decision making about educational placement included maternal perceptions related to the various options, child specific and practical considerations, and the attainability of specialized gifted programming. Educational decision making was identified as the most difficult aspect of the maternal experience. Given that the study participants were unusually well educated and well resourced, the findings were particularly revealing. The study findings add to a small but growing body of research that furthers our understanding of image theory in real life decision making. In addition, the findings give voice to the experience of mothering children identified as gifted, thus making a valuable and original contribution to the literature. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

School psychologists are comprehensive service providers asked to help with all students in assessing their needs, providing intervention strategies, and consulting with others. However, the role of school psychologists in gifted education is unclear, as more attention is given to students perceived to be disadvantaged. This underserved population experiences a wide-range of challenges that can be assisted by school psychologists (Brown, 1982; E.L. Robinson, 2002). To date, there has been no study to investigate school psychologists' awareness, perceptions, and involvement in gifted education. This study assessed potential service delivery differences in gifted education, examined current practices and awareness of related policies, evaluated the knowledge of school psychologists in regards to gifted students and their education, and examined perceived needs in order to best service gifted students. An online survey was developed and distributed to psychologists in the two states: New Jersey, a state where gifted education is mandated and New York, a state where gifted education is not mandated. A total of 291 surveys were used in data analysis. Findings suggest that school psychologists in this study hold a more liberal view of the term giftedness, even though it appears that only a small percentage of students are serviced in gifted programs. Results also revealed various needs with implications for training and practice. Most school psychologists reported not having received any training in gifted education and desire to learn more about gifted learners and ways to service this population. Furthermore, questions regarding state mandates on gifted education showed that school psychologists practicing in New York were more likely to work with gifted students than school psychologists practicing in New Jersey. When school psychologists in this study engaged in gifted education related activities, they did in a number of areas of practice such as assessment, counseling, Response to Intervention, and consultation. School psychologists' report of ideal assessment practices differed from their current practices. When compared to their familiarity with service models for gifted education, school psychologists reported use of strategies was relatively low. On items investigating perceptions of gifted students, school psychologists demonstrated awareness of some myths and facts. However, they lacked knowledge on some gifted characteristics, creativity assessment, and accelerated options. Based on the findings from this study, it appears that school psychologists are an untapped resource in the service of gifted students. This study highlights areas of needed training, which may help increase services for this population. The increased literature in the field may raise awareness of this population and their needs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

One of the great challenges to teachers both historically and contemporarily is to facilitate a classroom as a group of students, while concurrently attending to each individual student. As the profession becomes increasingly aware and sensitive to student (dis)abilities, academic giftedness, pressures of athletics and extra-curricular events, and acknowledges the racial, cultural, sexual, economic, gendered identities of students— the complexity of each individual student becomes ever more apparent. It is a seemingly insurmountable challenge. This dissertation examines how stem cell unit guided group learning while also attending to the individual learning needs of each student. What makes classroom study unusual in research is that it is completely “usual”. This study was not part of a university partnership nor did it take place in an affluent school district. Instead, this unit took place in a large, Midwestern urban high school that was/is often written off as a failing—underscoring that powerful science teaching and learning is occurring in schools society simultaneously portrays as victim and villain in the media. Using a sociocultural lens, this ethnographic study draws upon two frameworks, Wenger's communities of practice (1998) and Hayes and Gee's (2011) public pedagogy, to examine how participation in a debate individualizes and personalizes student knowledge and participation in science. The primary use of a community of practice framework allowed for analysis of the norms, rules, practices, and routines of Classroom 507—to establish the nature of the community of learners in the study. A secondary framework, public pedagogy, allowed for deeper understanding of the practices drawn upon in the classroom through consideration of the design, resources, and an emergent “affinity space”. This hybridized analysis led to further understanding of how students and teacher stand to learn, participate, engage and use a classroom lesson, the debate, to serve their own, unique purposes. During my observations of biology Classroom 507, the class engaged a three-week unit on the ethics of stem cells which ended in a class-wide debate. I had the opportunity to observe, film, and interview students and their teacher. Through observation, interviews, and film, I began to understand the classroom community (its norms, practices, and routines) but also began to recognize how this unit functioned to teach content but push on student thought creation and development as individuals. In this dissertation, I construct something I call an “affinity story” for four focal students (Mismin, Kevin, Molly, and Michael) and their teacher (Theresa). These affinity stories capture how each of the individuals co-opted the debate space in various ways allowing for engagement and participation in ways that were true to themselves and their social and academic needs. Implications from this dissertation include: 1) re-considering the importance of how both students and teacher enrich science understandings when public, authentic talk is encouraged; 2) how teachers can design units and draw from diverse resources to enrich the learning experience of the individual; 3) how students and teacher appropriate learning spaces for their own individual social and academic needs; 4) to consider what it means to allow students to follow their affinities within the science classroom; and 5) to inspire teachers as they engage in the difficult task we call teaching. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

About piano students who display disruptive behavior and perform far below reasonable expectations, teachers first conclude that they are lazy, rude, disinterested, and/or lacking intelligence or ability. Most dismiss such students from studios and advise parents to discontinue lessons. In truth, many of these students are both highly gifted and also have a learning disability. Examined literature shows that the incidence of dyslexia and other learning disabilities in the gifted learner population is several times that of the regular learner population. Although large volumes of research have been devoted to dyslexia, and more recently to dyslexia and music (in the classroom and some in individual instrumental instruction), there is no evidence of the same investigation in relation to the specific needs of highly gifted dyslexic students in learning to play the piano. This project examines characteristics of giftedness and dyslexia, gifted learners with learning disabilities, and the difficulties they encounter in learning to read music and play keyboard instruments. It includes historical summaries of author's experience with such students and description of their progress and success. They reveal some of practical strategies that evolved through several decades of teaching regular and gifted dyslexic students that helped them overcome the challenges and learn to play the piano. Informal conversations and experience exchanges with colleagues, as well as a recently completed pilot study also showed that most piano pedagogues had no formal opportunity to learn about this issue and to be empowered to teach these very special students. The author's hope is to offer personal insights, survey of current knowledge, and practical suggestions that will not only assist piano instructors to successfully teach highly gifted learners with dyslexia, but also inspire them to learn more about the topic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Many of the social and emotional needs that have historically been associated with gifted students have been questioned on the basis of recent empirical evidence. Research on the topic, however, is often limited by sample size, selection bias, or definition. This study addressed these limitations by applying linear regression methodology to data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K) to evaluate group differences and subgroup moderation in internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, and peer problems for elementary students identified as gifted. While moderation of outcomes was present on the basis of race and socioeconomic status, identified students consistently exhibited lower levels of social or emotional issues based on both teacher and student reports. In addition, conceptions of giftedness based on both program participation and high achievement were compared, indicating that while each definition captured different students, both groups shared a common demographic and similar social and emotional outcomes. Finally, the association of these outcomes with program participation for high-achievement students was explored, indicating little difference between program participants and non-participants in this sample. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Identification as a gifted learner can provide opportunities for boys to thrive or can place undue pressure and stress, causing them to decline in school, academically and emotionally. This multi-site case study using integral research methodology looked to understand identified gifted boys’ experience of giftedness in schooling, the influence of being labelled as gifted, and how alternative settings met the needs of these gifted boys. Seven identified gifted high school boys’, enrolled in nine different alternative education programs, in a large urban setting in Alberta, Canada, experience of schooling was documented in detail and examined. Interviews, school records, and program reviews provided multiple and at times discrepant perspectives of the boys’ experiences of schooling. Several common themes emerged. The most profound was a shared experience of shame, guilt, and denial, surrounding identification and provision as a gifted learner and unrealistic expectations of performance from self and others. Further commonalities included the need for mutually respectful and caring relationships with teachers as well as the need for challenge and relevance in learning experiences, to enable engagement and achievement in school. These were examined through the lens of Integral Theory focusing on: the interior individual and personality development, using Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration; the exterior individual using brain development and neuroscience research; the interior collective, examining the influence of cultural beliefs and values as displayed through popular culture; and the exterior collective, reviewing education system programs and policies. The predominate mediators, of the conditions as identified by the themes, were teachers. The boys’ experience was heavily reliant on teachers’ attitudes, knowledge, and skills, in relation to gifted learners. Few of the boys spoke positively of their schooling experience. However, most of the highlights mentioned, involved a special teacher with whom they had connected. Conversely, the negative experiences they discussed also involved teachers. Teacher professional development and positive school culture are essential for gifted students to flourish in schooling. Implications for practice and programming provide ideas for future directions in supporting gifted learners particularly in inclusive settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

In the era of No Child Left Behind (ED, 2001), public school administrators have dedicated resources to ensuring all students reach proficiency in basic skills on the state mandated assessments. The focus on reaching proficiency on NCLB assessments is less of a concern for gifted students who exceed grade level expectations and have the potential to excel in school and life. For many of these students, the public education system fosters their growth and achievement. For other gifted children, underachievement and selective consumerism tendencies surface as they progress through school. Since giftedness does not guarantee achievement in the school setting, early identification of gifted students with the potential for academic difficulties is essential. Could the WISC-IV (Wechsler, 2004), commonly used for gifted identification, hold the key to the gifted child's academic success or difficulties? This exploratory study of 32 eighth grade students in a suburban public school investigated if a correlation existed between the students' WISC-IV Discrepancies and three variables: Performance measured by English classroom data, Academic Competence measured by the ACES-Student (DiPerna & Elliot, 2000), and Academic Attitude measured by the SAAS-R (McCoach, 2002). Based on previous research, the study initially sought to establish the prevalence of students with ≥23-point WISC-IV Discrepancies ( n=56.3%). The students' WISC-IV Discrepancies were then correlated with each variable (Performance, Academic Competence, and Academic Attitude). Analyses were performed and reported for the entire group ( N= 32), the >23-point WISCIV Discrepancy subgroup ( n=18), and for a subgroup without a participant whose data characterized him/her as an outlier ( n=31). Significant correlations were noted for the entire group for Verbal Comprehension—Processing Speed and Motivation/Self-Regulation ( p<.05), the ≥23-point subgroup for Verbal Comprehension—Perceptual Reasoning and Academic Skills ( p<.05), and the subgroup excluding the outlier for Verbal Comprehension—Processing Speed and Motivation/Self-Regulation ( p<.01). Using the information from the measures, students were characterized as potential underachievers, potential selective consumers, and achievers. Individual case studies for select students are presented and discussed. KEY WORDS: Gifted, Underachievement, Selective Consumerism, WISC-IV Discrepancy, Performance, Academic Competence, Academic Attitude, ACES-Student, SAAS-R. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

This study addresses the question “what is it like to be a gifted early college entrant?” Participants were eight college graduates between the ages of 23 and 45 who matriculated to college as full-time, degree-seeking students at age 16. This was a qualitative study conducted by open-ended interview and utilized narrative inquiry as a framework for the analysis. Participant responses were coded and analyzed using constant comparative method. Coded responses were grouped into 40 subcategories which were further collapsed into 7 overarching categories that provide a framework for understanding the experience of early college entrance: life story; being exceptional; understanding exceptionality through others’ experience; transition to college, academic preparation, performance, and experience; getting involved and pursuing interests; and social-emotional awareness and agency. These categories provide a picture of the milieu in which participants made the decision to enter college early. Results of this study suggest that participants experienced a milieu of educational experiences, including academic acceleration, and embedded social-emotional contexts that increased their academic self-concept and precipitated early college entrance. Despite failing to recognize their own giftedness and experiencing academic struggle, participants successfully completed college and embarked on meaningful careers. Interpreting giftedness as asynchronous development provides a framework for these results. The results of the present study suggest that while the native cognitive ability of a gifted early entrant might be sufficient to complete college, additional social-emotional supports are needed to fully realize the academic potential of gifted students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The problem addressed in this research was to understand the cultural schema(s) that are utilized in meaning-making as people identify and interpret life experiences related to call. The population studied is adult students in a Pentecostal/charismatic university in Los Angeles, California. This research utilizes a triangulation of methods approach (Tashakkori and Teddlie 1998) and draws from two theories in cognitive anthropology, cultural schema theory (D'Andrade 1987; Quinn 2005b; Strauss and Quinn 1997) and cultural consensus theory (Romney, Batchelder, and Weller 1987; Romney, Weller, and Batchelder 1986; Weller and Romney 1988). Data elicitation tools are based on strategies developed early in cognitive anthropology for the investigation of cognitive domains along with a vignette exercise. Data analysis took place in two stages with data functioning both as a context of discovery and a context of verification (D'Andrade 2005, 85). People in the research context demonstrate a cultural schema of call that includes four core items: God as caller, the individual as called, the role or task as calling, and knowing as the essential link. Once these four core items were present, a second level of common items was demonstrated; the common elements were confirmation, giftedness, time or duration, and experience. This cultural schema of call was utilized by the population in relation to additional schemas including pastor, leader, family, church, ministry, and work. Indications of underlying foundational cultural schemas were also present including self, success, and status. Findings of this research are discussed in terms of the implications for call as a process of meaning-making and the limitations of biblical/theological material for making sense of experiences related to call. Implications for leadership research and cognitive anthropology research are discussed along with suggestions for the leader formation practitioner's engagement with cultural schemas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Highly capable and intelligent individuals identified as gifted and talented (GATE) in educational settings require support for their unique needs associated with their giftedness. Unique needs for gifted girls include high emotional sensitivities including anxiety, depression, and frustration. These needs can impede the positive development of career self-efficacy and emotional well-being among gifted individuals, which can negatively affect their ability to transition into the workforce. Most significantly, as gifted females mature, studies reveal this population working far below their potential. This phenomenological study addresses the problem of unfulfilled potential as well as the gaps in the existing research regarding gifted females by exploring the career self-efficacy and emotional well-being of 10 gifted women as it relates to their transition from school to work. Results from this qualitative study revealed five core themes: (a) Fulfillment - a sense of feeling, (b) Achievement & Responsibility - a sense of doing, (c) Identity - a sense of becoming, (d) Approval - a sense of searching, and (e) Growth - a sense of embracing. Furthermore, themes were explored through the theoretical constructs of Fredrickson's Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions as well as Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration. Ultimately, findings from textural and structural descriptions reveal that as participants transitioned from school to work, it was the ability of participants to design new paradigms and shift old paradigms, which increased overall career self-efficacy and emotional well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Advocates of students with ADHD in the school system are usually parents who must become advocates in response to the child's need for support and a call for parental involvement from the school. Parent advocates are confronted with many challenges, the primary being the daunting, often solitary task of advocating for a child who is often viewed by teachers and peers as unruly, disrespectful and underachieving. Resources available to parent advocates include legal and medical resources regarding ADHD which are regularly resourced to advocates by advocacy organizations and clinicians. Topics include medical diagnosis, treatment and educational rights and planning for ADHD students. In addition, a set of more diverse ADHD resources exists in the literature that discusses various influences on student behavior and achievement that parent advocates can consider in combination or in place of medical and educational ADHD resources. Diverse ADHD resources present a breadth of information ranging from misdiagnosis of ADHD to conditions that contribute to inattentive student behavior such as giftedness, physiology (including the impact of brain maturation, dietary omega-3, ferratin levels, pediatric sensory issues, and eye conditions), environment and exercise. This study uses a phenomenological research method to further understand the experience of parent advocates, specifically by interviewing parent advocates of students with ADHD in school. Findings include several themes organized in the following four categories: 1) Identifying and Treating ADHD in the School Context, 2) ADHD Advocates Need more Support from Schools, 3) Advocate Experience with the School is a Swinging Pendulum and 4) Advocates Struggle to Pave a Path for Success. Recommendations for further research include qualitative research to further understand parent advocate experience in identifying and treating ADHD in the school context, specifically to understand the impact on advocate interpretation of ADHD-type behaviors after being presented with a list of non-ADHD conditions the precipitate ADHD-type behaviors. In addition, quantitative research is recommended to gather data regarding what advocates need in support from schools as they work to pave a path for success for their children. The work presented in this thesis explores the experience of parent advocates of students with ADHD in school in an effort to understand and improve parent advocate experience. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of creativity and intelligence. The current study was interested in testing gifted children's divergent thinking. For the purposes of this study, creativity was defined as the cognitive process of divergent thinking, the ability to generate as many possible solutions to a problem. Thirty-four children (ages 11 to 13) were tested in an afterschool program on the Alternative Uses Test (AUT), which asks the child to think of all of the uses for common, ordinary objects. The children were deemed gifted according to their California Standards Test (CST) scores in English and Math (350 or higher). The results of this study found that that gifted children had higher scores on the AUT, than their nongifted peers, thereby rejecting the threshold theory. Although there was a relationship between giftedness and divergent thinking, future research should focus on IQ testing and creativity test batteries. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

This qualitative, retrospective study investigated suicidal ideation among 32 young adult men. Participants were asked to report their experiences as adolescents. The primary focus of the study was to discover how gay gifted adolescents dealt with issues of suicide and suicidal ideation. Participants were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Four groups of participants were chosen with eight males in each group. The groups were: gay (i.e., homosexual) gifted, gay nongifted, straight (i.e., heterosexual) gifted and straight nongifted. Forty-one percent of participants were Hispanic/Latino, 31% were Caucasian, 22% were biracial, and 6% were African American. Data were collected using an initial questionnaire followed by in-depth individual interviews with all participants. Grounded Theory methodology was employed during the analysis phase of the study. The voices of participants were conveyed within a series of narrative vignettes. Specific categories of risk and resiliency were revealed using coding and constant comparative analysis. Results indicated that resiliency played a predominant role in how the participants dealt with suicidal issues. All of the eight gay gifted males had considered attempting suicide at least once. This group did not the lowest rate of overall suicidal ideation across the groups. Also, the gay gifted group had one of the highest number of resiliency factors. Additionally, the gifted adolescents appeared to rely on their giftedness as a safeguard that protected them from suicide. Based on the study's outcome, a theory of suicidal ideation was proposed, and an assessment was designed for future studies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)