The present investigation examined whether academically gifted children, relative to their nongifted peers (a) were subject to greater self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism, (b) endorsed higher levels of Ellis' (1962) irrational beliefs, and (c) were prone to more negative reactions to an experimentally induced failure. Relative to their nongifted and academically achieving peers, the academically gifted students demonstrated more negative affective and physiological stress reactions to the experimentally induced failure, as well as higher levels of self-oriented perfectionism and irrational beliefs. The present findings highlight the need for research within the relatively new and unexplored field of gifted students' reactions to scholastic failure.

Examining the “F” in Gifted: Academically Gifted Adolescents' Physiological and Affective Responses to Scholastic Failure:

In an exploratory outcome study, the social self-concepts of four gifted high school students attending a rigorous residential program were examined as they participated in a social skills workshop...

The Impact of Social Skills Training on the Self-concepts of Gifted High School Students

The current constructivist interpretive narrative inquiry study considered the ways in which recently implemented enrichment programming on a system level was experienced by gifted secondary school learners and designated gifted teachers or contacts at the secondary schools. Through an in-depth exploration of stories of experiences that gifted students told about enrichment programming, this study offered significant insight into the unique learning needs and challenges of gifted adolescents in today’s secondary classrooms. Methods included an initial demographic questionnaire followed by a maximal variation sample of 12 participants for the second phase of the study with follow-up focus groups. Focus group interview data were video recorded, transcribed, and returned to participants to be member-checked for accuracy, omissions, deletions, or enhancements, and were subsequently analysed for patterns in experiences that offered insight into students’ and teachers’ perceptions of enrichment programming needs. Results of the study showcased alternative non-credit enrichment programming to be both appreciated and designed well, but the needs of gifted learners in the regular classroom are still not being met, as the remedial needs of struggling learners continue to take precedent in the regular classroom.

/pdf/enrichment-programming-for-secondary-school-gifted-students-3i1x8acsu6.pdf

Janice A. Leroux

Papers

Counselling the Gifted Learner: A School Perspective