Much of the research on the social coping of students with gifts and talents has relied on a single administration of an instrument while the participants were attending a summer program. This study attempts to understand how attendance at a residential high school (academy) may affect academically gifted students over time. Students in two…

Typical standardized achievement tests cannot provide accurate information about gifted students' abilities because they are not challenging enough for such students. Talent searches solve this problem through above-level testing--using tests designed for older students to raise the ceiling for younger, gifted students. Currently, talent search…

The Social coping Questionnaire (SCQ) measures strategies used by gifted adolescents to minimize the negative effect they believe their high ability has on their social interactions. Previous studies have supported the factor structure, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the SCQ. The current study provides construct validity…

Current self-concept theories suggest a multi-dimensional construct, with domain-specific self-concepts hierarchically related to global self-concept. The academic domain may be comprised of subject-specific domains that are related to performance in corresponding areas. Here, gifted students' responses to questions about how they compare with…

Two studies of gifted 3rd through 7th graders (n=311) enrolled in a summer academic program explored the possibility that social coping strategies could be measured. Six social coping strategies were identified: denying giftedness; minimizing focus on popularity; social interaction; humor; conformity; and denying the impact of giftedness on peer…

A survey of 210 gifted junior high students sought to verify literature-based social coping strategies used by this population. Factor analysis yielded five meaningful factors: denial of giftedness, peer acceptance, popularity/conformity, extracurricular involvement, fear of failure, and activity level. (SW)

This study examined self-esteem at 13 and 18 years of age among 340 gifted students. Results found no differential change in self-esteem according to whether or not students experienced academic acceleration. Analysis of students' self-perceptions of other personality characteristics also yielded no differential correlation to acceleration status.…

This paper describes longitudinal studies on three cohorts of students accelerated academically as part of the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth. Results do not support critics' contentions that acceleration produces academic gaps and early "burn out" but instead show positive psychosocial outcomes and high levels of participant…

Examines ways of helping gifted adolescents cope with a perceived stigma. Research is cited showing that many gifted adolescents believe they are treated differently because of their abilities and behave differently because of this belief, including denial of one's giftedness. The school's role, ability grouping, and special needs of gifted girls…

Studied social coping among gifted high school students using a revised Social Coping Questionnaire (M. Swiatek, 1995). Results for 212 gifted students show that females were more likely than males to deny giftedness and maintain high activity levels, while males were more likely to use humor for coping. Results also indicate that problem-focused…

This reprint of an article on results of longitudinal studies of mathematically precocious youth is preceded by a commentary. The commentary stresses that results of the studies indicate that there is no evidence that accelerants lose interest in the area of acceleration or experience knowledge gaps. (Contains references.) (CR)

Talent searches for seventh and eighth graders have extensive empirical support, and the model has been successfully extended to elementary students. Research has focused on participants earning high scores on above-level tests, however, not typical participants. Here, 597 families and 93 schools that participated in the Carnegie Mellon Institute…

Third through sixth graders (n=4,514) scoring at or above the 95th percentile on standardized achievement tests reported on their educational experiences. Although 40% of students were in pull-out programs, 37% were not receiving any special programming. Gender, grade level, and type of school (public vs. private/parochial) explained little of the…

Participants in a fast-paced mathematics course and qualified nonparticipants were surveyed 10 years later with respect to undergraduate record, graduate experience, attitudes toward mathematics/science, and self-esteem. In general, participation was associated with stronger undergraduate records for all students and with more advanced graduate…

Identified by a study of mathematically precocious youth, 107 academically accelerated gifted students were compared with 107 nonacademically accelerated gifted students. At age 23-25 years, the 2 subject groups exhibited few significant differences, and no evidence of harmful effects of academic acceleration were found. (SLD)