A qualitative, longitudinal, phenomenological case study explored how a gifted female experienced various life events and aspects of development during adolescence and young adulthood (ages 15-30 years), particularly as related to multiple traumatic experiences, which were revealed late in the first year of the study. Additional experiences, well…

A stratified random sample of volunteer participants (N = 75) aged 9 to 14 was drawn from 16 public school districts' gifted programs, including as many females (n = 28) and children from groups traditionally underrepresented in gifted programs (n = 18) as available. Participants were randomly divided into an experimental (n = 38) and a control…

This study assessed 43 gifted adolescent females in the United States and Germany over a 4-year period (in 7th or 8th grade and again during the 11th or 12th grade). Factors that were examined included the daughter's career selection, the prestige level and the education required to pursue that career, and the impact of the mother's gender role…

In this case study focusing on a gifted adolescent female who took her life at the age of 18 using a firearm, the researcher investigated the personal, environmental, and cultural variables that may have contributed to her suicide. Data were collected from interviews, documents, and other artifacts, including a videotape that was a compilation of…

Gifted adolescents are poised to make important decisions that will determine the trajectory of their futures. A positive self-concept may lead to higher educational and career aspirations, whereas a poorer self-concept may negatively influence choices and outcomes. Research points to self-concept differences among gifted students of different…

This study examined the trend of identification and achievement patterns of performance task-identified students over a span of 6 years (2000-2005), in comparison to profiles of students who were identified exclusively through traditional ability and achievement tests. The study findings suggested that the performance-based protocols were…

Using a qualitative interview design, this study examined factors contributing to the academic achievement of gifted first-generation college females. Findings indicated an emerging professional identity as the primary influence on achievement. The participants' high ability served as a passport to accessing coursework, extracurricular…

This article reviews the research suggesting gifted girls are motivationally disadvantaged as well as research on the task, social, and motivational conditions that may explain these differences. A feminist critique of the gender differences research suggests some research strategies that can address and redress some of the problems in research…

Attribution retraining was conducted with 82 German 8th grade girls as part of feedback provided by trained teachers in the students' first physics course. In comparison with controls, attribution retraining significantly improved students' performance in physics. Training also had favorable effects on the motivation sets and self-related…

This article describes factors affecting the achievement of 15 highly accomplished European American women in the fields of business, higher education, and law and government. Findings indicate participants tended to attribute their success to external factors while simultaneously employing proactive strategies to overcome potential barriers.…

A study compared early-adolescent girls in gifted (n=132) and general education programs (n=77) on constructs related to gender-role stereotyping. Gifted girls held stronger self-perceptions of instrumentality, evidenced higher achievement motivation, were less traditional in their career aspirations, and were more liberal towards the rights and…

As part of a larger study, the childhood psychological traits and conditions of 38 eminent African-American women (who lived between 1863 and 1974) were compared with those of other eminent women. African-American women more often appeared to be advantaged by such psychological traits as independence, perseverance, single-mindedness, and alertness…

A study examined learning through the eyes of 20 high-achieving female secondary students. Learning and success in school was described as the result of taking an active stance toward the material and understanding their own style preferences, including an inclination for learning within contexts and a tendency to study alone. (Author/CR)

This study examined, as part of a national retrospective study of high achieving women, factors affecting the life-span achievement of 15 Latina women identified as gifted. More than half did not evidence their potential through high grades in school. Participants cited racial or gender bias as a major obstacle but also reported a strong…

This article describes the establishment of a "women's issues" group with middle-school gifted girls. Ground rules for the group, selection of materials for discussion, issues discussed, and outcomes of the group are highlighted. Participants were found to like learning, like thinking about abstract issues, and have high academic goals. (CR)