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Objective: Adolescence is a critical period in terms of development and education, in which there are numbers of high-risk behaviors that can negative effects on personal and educational life. One of these high-risk behaviors is mobile phone addiction that is a sociopsychological phenomenon, and the lack of control in the use of this technology by students can cause damage to various aspects of their personal and educational lives. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of procrastination in the relationship between positive and negative perfectionism and addiction to mobile phone in gifted students. Method: This was a descriptive and correlational study in which 200 gifted students from gifted students' high school of Meshghinshahr were selected using cluster sampling in 2020. Tri-Shot Perfectionism questionnaires, Tuckman Procrastination Scale, and Savari Mobile Phone Addiction questionnaire were applied to collect data. Descriptive statistics, correlation matrix, and path analysis (Structural Model) were used to analyze data. Results: The findings revealed positive and negative perfectionism was not directly related to cell phone addiction. However, positive perfectionism through procrastination meditation had a negative and indirect relationship with mobile phone addiction (β = -0.18), and negative perfectionism through procrastination meditation had a positive and indirect relationship with mobile phone addiction (β = 0.17). In other words, procrastination is a complete mediation in the relationship between negative and positive perfectionism and cell phone addiction in students (β = 0.29). Conclusion: The results emphasized the effect of procrastination on the relationship between positive and negative perfectionism and mobile phone addiction in gifted students. Therefore, these findings can help school and rehabilitation counselors to prepare programs for reducing students' addictive and avoidant behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social-emotional learning (SEL) and mental health preventive programs are very popular internationally; however, there is limited research evaluating their effects on gifted children. This study aimed to design a SEL-focused preventive program for gifted preschoolers and assess its effects on variables related to personal and character strengths. In addition, the relative differential impact of the program on both genders was explored. The study used an experimental design, with repeated pretest-post-test measures and a control group. A total of 120 gifted students aged 5-6 years were recruited and randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 60) and control (n = 60) groups. To measure the dependent variables, two assessment instruments were administered before and after the program. The experimental group joined a 12 onehour lesson program based on SEL principles and used cognitive-behavior strategies. At the baseline, no significant difference between the groups in terms of self-esteem and self-perceptions (p > 0.005) were observed, except for peer relations selfperception (p = 0.028). The results revealed that the program was effective in increasing students' self-esteem and self-perception scores; moreover, the analysis showed a significant group-by-time interaction effect in the assessed variables (p < 0.005). Regardless of the impact of the program on both genders, the change was very similar; however, the boys showed higher scores than the girls across most variables. This program significantly improved all taught skills, corroborating the findings of other studies, which support that SEL can improve children's self-esteem. The strengths and limitations of this study and the importance of implementing prevention programs to promote socio-emotional development are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predominantly White Educational Institutions often fail to meet the needs of gifted African American students. Racial discrimination, lack of teacher cultural competence, and deficit ideologies create barriers impacting student academic success, emotional well-being, and sense of belonging. School counselors are in optimal positions to assist African American youth using targeted cultural strategies. This article offers a background on the issues many gifted African American children face and details a group approach utilizing solution focused brief therapy, family involvement, conflict resolution, and anger management, in an attempt to influence positive racial identity, resilience, and student achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up to 20% of children and youth, in general, experience significant emotional, behavioural, or social challenges, while 30% to 40% of gifted children can be identified with noteworthy difficulties in these areas. Such concerns may hinder their positive development, personal life trajectory, academic success, and inhibit gifted individuals from meeting their potential. Despite this, to date, no evidence-based, educational socio-emotional (SEL) programs exist to meet the unique needs of gifted school children. In collaboration with knowledge-users, namely gifted children, as well as their parents and teachers, we have created the D.R.E.A.M. (Developing Resilience through Emotions, Attitudes, and Meaning) program grounded in a Second Wave Positive Psychology approach called R.E.A.L. (Rational Emotive Attachment Logotherapy). The D.R.E.A.M. program uses original songs, crafts, drama, discussions, stories, and games to teach skills for resilience. The pilot program was evaluated through a Knowledge Translation-Integrated approach and was found to be acceptable to knowledge-users, feasible to implement, and credible (i.e. the program was found to enhance meaning and mental health). Suggestions for long-term sustainability of the program were also provided by the knowledge-users. Ultimately, through building a sustainable, easy to implement program, we aim to build resilience and enhance gifted children's capacity to reach their potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on a research project on teaching art to high-ability students in the secondary setting. The project used a mixed methods research study and conducted an interview of teachers. It provides strategies for art teachers in teaching high-ability visual artists. It also identifies a number of social and emotional challenges facing gifted children, including anxiety, perfectionism, stress and issues with peer relationships.

This article explores some of the common causes and solutions to perfectionism in gifted children. We highlight practical implications from studies examining perfectionism in gifted students, including how implicit theories of intelligence (e.g., mindset) relate to perfectionism. Specific strategies are shared to guide gifted children toward a mindful pursuit of excellence in which they are self-aware of how their thoughts, emotions, and beliefs about ability influence their behaviors in achieving a high standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional career education activities at the secondary level consist of academic, aptitude, skills, interests, and, less often, personality assessments that assist students in narrowing viable career options. Although this strategy is reasonable, its attempt to objectify the career decision-making process does not address two important components of career decision-making—personal values and social-emotional concerns. Because gifted students possess characteristics, such as heightened sensitivity, multipotentiality, and perfectionism, that might complicate this process, appropriately differentiated career education includes these dimensions, especially during times of transition. Due to gaps in preparation and training, school counselors may feel inadequate in meeting these students’ unique social-emotional needs. For gifted rural students, career decision-making may be especially difficult as parents, school counselors, teachers, and other adults in the community encourage students to leave their small towns to realize their college and career dreams elsewhere. Rural students often experience deep connections to family and place, further complicating this developmental task of adolescence. This study highlights the voices of 19 gifted rural students as they share their thoughts and concerns regarding K-12 career education, values, and attachments to family and community. Considerations for school counselors and teachers who work in rural settings are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gifted individuals have unique social and emotional needs that often manifest as challenging interpersonal behavior. Chief among these needs are the fact that gifted students tend to be quite emotionally intense and that they tend to be quite cognitively rigid. Emotional intensity is defined as having stronger, more frequent, more complex, and more lasting emotional responses than would be considered typical. Cognitive rigidity is defined as difficulty in changing mental sets. The intersection of these two traits in the gifted population makes interventions challenging, but the impact of these traits can affect a person’s personal, social, and emotional growth. There are therapeutic techniques that can allow counselors, teachers, parents, and psychologists to positively impact these limiting traits. This article examines relevant literature on the subjects above, provides a case example from the author’s mental health practice, and explores potential interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gifted students can encounter anxiety-provoking stressors throughout their day. Developing effective anxiety management skills allows them to better navigate these challenges. Concepts from neuroscience help us better understand responses to anxiety and can assist gifted youth and those working with them in recognizing how and when to best apply anxiety management strategies. This article reviews these concepts and integrating them into the classroom environment to assist with this learning process. In addition, it examines an evidenced-based anxiety management intervention that has been found to be efficacious for gifted youth, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). Results of recent EFT research are reviewed and the steps to learning EFT are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐regulation skills refer to processes allowing emotional and cognitive adaptation of the individual. Some gifted adolescents are known for their imbalance between high intellectual abilities and low emotional skills. Thus, this study aimed at examining the interplay between emotion and cognition in gifted and non‐gifted adolescents. A stop‐signal task, a response inhibition task including neutral, happy, or sad faces as signal triggering inhibition, was administered to 19 gifted and 20 typically developing male adolescents (12–18 years old). Gifted adolescents showed lower response inhibition abilities than non‐gifted adolescents in the neutral and happy face conditions. Sad faces in gifted adolescents were associated with higher response inhibition compared to happy condition. In typically developing adolescents, emotional information (happy or sad faces) was related to lower response inhibition compared to neutral face condition. This study highlights that gifted adolescents present different self‐regulation skills than their typically developing peers. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Some gifted adolescents present higher intellectual abilities alongside with lower socio‐emotional skills. Self‐regulation skills refer to processes allowing emotional and cognitive adaptation. Self‐regulation skills might help to understand gifted adolescents, but remain scarcely studied. What does this study adds? Task‐relevant emotional information impaired cognitive control in typically developing adolescents. Gifted adolescents are able to use sad faces to enhance their cognitive control abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To compare the quality of life, areas of social, emotional, behavioural and mental problems and family functionality of gifted children and children of normal intelligence. Methods: The study included 49 gifted children aged 9-18 years and 56 age and gender-matched healthy children of normal intelligence. The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), and the Children's Depression Rating Scale were applied to all the cases. The Quality of Life Scale for Children, the Depression Scale for Children, the Trait-State Anxiety Inventory, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire- Adolescent Form were completed by all the participants. All the parents completed the Family Evaluation Scale, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire- Parents Form and the Parents Form of the Quality of Life Scale for Children. Results: Compared to children of normal intelligence, gifted children described themselves as more inattentive and lively, social functionality was reported to be low and they had a worse perception of their physical health status. Gifted boys were determined to have more depressive symptoms than gifted girls. The parents of boys of normal intelligence reported lower academic performance than the parents of giftedboys. This difference was not determined for girls between the cases and comparative groups. Conclusion: All the findings obtained in this study suggest that gifted children are at risk in respect of mental health. Therefore, to be able to become healthy adults in a biopsychosocial aspect, it is important for the future of gifted children that this status can be identified at an early age, that they can receive appropriate education, that support and counselling are provided for emotional needs and that parents and teachers are fully informed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The education of gifted children is of considerable interest. The present study focused on the effect of enriched education on intellectually gifted children’s attention. In the present study, 7-12-year-old children completed seven tests of attention (alertness, focused attention, divided attention, attentional switching, sustained attention, spatial attention, and supervisory attention) to investigate the differences among intellectually gifted children under different educational environments. The results showed that intellectually gifted children who received enriched education had better attentional performance than did intellectually gifted children who received standard education. The result affords theoretical support for gifted-education practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the subjective well-being, as reflected as their satisfaction with life, of academically gifted secondary school students in China, under the framework of the broaden-and-build theory. A total number of 351 academically gifted secondary students participated in the study. Multiple scales were used to measure these academically gifted students’ satisfaction with life and other relevant constructs. The results indicated that girls had significantly higher satisfaction with life than boys. Consistent with the broaden-and-build theory, the study showed that positive emotions and some variables from the broadened mindset and four building resources aspects of the theory were significantly interrelated for these academically gifted students. Based on the hierarchical regression results, positive affect, agency hope, parents’ trust, general health, and social functioning were found to be contributing factors to the subjective well-being, while negative affect, peers alienation, depression, anxiety, were found to be negatively related to their life satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this pilot study, 24 gifted, elementary students in second to fifth grade enrolled in a large, diverse, urban public school were introduced to 10 mindfulness-based techniques that the students practiced in school. The students practiced the techniques for 10 weeks once per week for 30 minutes in the school’s media center under the guidance of the researchers and certified mindfulness instructors. Using qualitative data (interviews and observations), quantitative percentages of qualitative findings are reported. Results include increased enjoyment, calmness, heightened awareness, creativity, and minor discomfort and a gain in mindfulness competency. The need for further research and plans to proceed are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the practice of mindfulness is examined as a useful tool to address the internal and external stressors that occur daily for gifted students and their teachers. A culture of calm can be created when these simple, effective, and inexpensive evidence-based strategies are implemented within the classroom. Beyond enhancing empathy and compassion, mindfulness sharpens awareness and strengthens executive functions, fosters keen visualization, and encourages innovation and intuition. Opportunities for deep learning are optimal when a peaceful environment is generated collaboratively which encourages focused attention and a sense of well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses giftedness from the inside out, focusing on what the differences mean to the gifted child’s experience of life—the effects both their intensity and their cognitive abilities have on their inner experience and awareness. Mindfulness is especially valuable and important for the profoundly gifted child. Two programs that use mindfulness techniques (Yunasa, a summer camp for highly gifted children, and the Holistic Life program in a public elementary school in Baltimore) are discussed. Mindfulness helps to bring all the pieces of gifted children into contact and congruity with each other and helps to make them more whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gifted students who also have learning disabilities (G/LD) are often overlooked when students are assessed either for giftedness or specific learning disabilities. The cognitive and non-cognitive characteristics of these G/LD students are habitually discussed only briefly alongside identification and intervention issues and, beyond that, the relevance of non-cognitive characteristics is often left unconsidered. Accordingly, this study aims to conduct an in-depth review of the non-cognitive characteristics of these students for identification and intervention purposes. Detailed analysis was performed on 23 publications. High levels of negative emotions, low self-perception, and adverse interpersonal relationships, as well as high levels of motivation, coping skills and perseverance were found among these students. A common characteristic was a high degree of frustration with the academic situation. The study reveals that these students show considerably duality in their non-cognitive characteristics which requires tailored counseling skills to provide effective support for their learning needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study examined variables in three domains (personal, parent support, and peer support) for their relationships with the resilience of academically gifted students in the Chinese cultural and educational environment. The participants were 484 academically gifted students in two highly competitive secondary schools (so‐called “key” schools) in a metropolitan city in southern China. The constructs measured in the personal domain were resilience, hope, creativity, and curiosity. The constructs measured in the domain of parent support were parent trust, parent communication, and parent alienation. The constructs measured in the peer support domain were peer trust, peer communication, and peer alienation. Three nested regression models showed that the personal constructs (hope, creativity, and curiosity) were all related to the resilience of the academically gifted students. Parent support variables did not exhibit predictive effects over and above that of the personal constructs, but peer support variables did show additional predictive effects over and beyond personal variables and parent support variables. Explanations and implications were discussed for the findings, and some limitations of the study were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring gifted and talented ( GT) students' perceptions of their GT label might seem to be a relatively straightforward affair. Most of this research uses survey methods that ask GT students to complete Likert scale or open-ended response questionnaires about their perceptions of the label and then presents results in clear and quantifiable terms, such as 'X % of students hold positive perceptions of the GT label.' However, our qualitative study of GT students in two middle school social studies classrooms presents findings that not only trouble, but prompt questions about simple proclamations regarding GT students' perceptions of the GT label. What we found was that given the opportunity to share their thoughts at length, this group of GT students expressed a range of often contradictory perceptions about their GT label. Students expressed multiple interpretations and perceptions of the GT label, as well as both embraced the label and rejected the label. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional comparisons (cortical surface area and thickness) were performed on a well described sample of adults with reading disability alone (RD), nonverbal giftedness alone (G), and reading disability and nonverbal giftedness combined (GRD). These anatomical results are considered in relation to behavioral and functional work previously reported on this sample. GRD-RD regional differences were found in both hemispheres and were more common than GRD-G differences. Regional differences were found in the temporal, parietal, occipital and frontal lobes. While these data are preliminary given the small sample sizes, they suggest future avenues of research on the neurodevelopment of atypical samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to provide more insight into potential differences in progression of analogical reasoning comparing gifted with average-ability children taking into account age, using a dynamic testing approach, using graduated prompting techniques, in combination with microgenetic methods. The participants were between the ages of 5 and 8 years old and were divided into 4 subgroups: gifted unguided control (n = 37), gifted dynamic training (n = 41), average-ability unguided control (n = 95), and average-ability dynamic training (n = 93). We predicted that gifted and average-ability children would show differential progression in analogical reasoning, benefit differentially from a dynamic training procedure, and would show differential instructional needs. The two "ability categories" (i.e., gifted vs. averageability) were found to show similar, rather than differential, progression paths, and to benefit from a training procedure, whereas gifted children outperform their average-ability peers in accuracy at each session. Likewise, no differences in need for instruction were found among these two groups. In general, moreover, younger children seemed to have lower accuracy scores, progress less, and need more help than older children. Implications of these findings for the research field of giftedness as well as for education of the gifted and talented are considered in the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violent media immediately grab our attention. However, violent media also detract attention from other cues. A large body of research shows that violent media impair attention and memory, critical resources for academic performance, such as verbal tasks at school. The present study tested whether gifted children are more insulated or more vulnerable to these violent media effects. Gifted (n = 74) and general cohort (n = 80) 10-year-old children were randomly assigned to watch a 12-minute violent or nonviolent cartoon. A verbal task was completed before and after the video. Results showed that gifted children outperformed general cohort children on the verbal task after watching a nonviolent cartoon, but not after watching a violent cartoon. Thus, the violent video eliminated the typical advantage gifted children have on verbal tasks. These findings suggest that the harmful effects of violent media on verbal tasks are greater for gifted children than for general cohort children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annemarie Roeper’s timeless perspectives were demonstrated throughout her long and productive life. Her prolific writings and speeches continue to influence our understanding of giftedness at all ages and stages of life, and the time I spent with her had a profound and meaningful effect on my work. Annemarie incorporated her inner view of giftedness into her definition, her collaboration with her husband George in developing the Roeper Philosophy and Roeper School, her global perspectives, and her qualitative assessment approach to understanding children and identifying those who are gifted. Direct involvement with Annemarie has been especially influential in my thinking about gifted adults, including educators and parents. The quality of agelessness that Annemarie demonstrated in the later years of her life also has been instrumental in helping me and others develop greater understanding of giftedness across the life span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Strengths and Weaknesses Heuristic (S&W Heuristic) was constructed in order to reduce biased assessments of students with (suspicion of) Intellectual Giftedness in co-occurrence with Autism Spectrum Disorder (IG + ASD) and to establish a well-founded interconnection between assessment data and intervention indications. The current study is the second in the validation process of the S&W Heuristic. An in-depth analysis of three assessment dossiers of Dutch IG-students with possible characteristics of ASD is focused upon. The core question is whether the S&W Heuristic is of added value to diminish bias in any direction and increase systematicity. The results indicate that bias, mainly directed at Strengths, as well as unsystematicity were present in different stages of two assessment dossiers. The conclusion is that the S&W Heuristic seems to pave the way for systematicity and less bias in assessment processes of students with (suspicion of) IG + ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BACKGROUND Gifted students might have to face an abundance of stress. Nevertheless, very little evidence in Vietnam indicates how much stress those students are experiencing and what might predict it. This study aims to examine the stress level in students of the High School for Gifted Students in Hanoi and factors that might contribute to the stress. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE This is a cross sectional study with the participation of 150 students from the High School for Gifted Students, Hanoi. Data were collected from March to April 2015. The first measure was the "Stress Level Test", which was adapted to the Vietnamese culture to measure academic stress in students. The second measure examined factors contributing to stress: 1) social life, 2) family, 3) school work, 4) personal relationships, 5) well-being, 6) adapting skills. RESULTS The results showed that 74.00% of students were experiencing mild to medium stress, which was found to be higher in girls and in students who lived away from home. The six predicting factors significantly contribute 17.30% to students' stress experience, of which school work (p = .001) and students' well-being (p = .011) can individually predict stress. These outcomes suggested that more attention should be focused on this specific population and more actions need to be taken to help them perform better at school. CONCLUSIONS Students of the High School for Gifted Students definitely experienced a considerable amount of stress which was related to school pressure and their well-being. For them to have a better high school life, more recreational and leisure time activities outside the classroom need to take place. In addition, more approachable and functional advisors and counseling personnel would be an ideal solution to this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role of contagion in suicidal behavior among gifted students. Topics discussed include variation in the definition of suicide according to culture, religion and age, the prevalence of suicide among students with gifts and talents (SWGT) in the U.S. as of 2010 and the impact of contagion on SWGT's suicidal tendencies particularly those in highly competitive environments.

This study investigated risk and protective factors associated with dyslexia and literacy development, both at the group and individual level, to gain more insight in underlying cognitive profiles and possibilities for compensation in high-IQ children. A sample of 73 Dutch primary school children included a dyslexic group, a gifted-dyslexic group, and a borderline-dyslexic group (i.e., gifted children with relative literacy problems). Children were assessed on literacy, phonology, language, and working memory. Competing hypotheses were formulated, comparing the core-deficit view to the twice-exceptionality view on compensation with giftedness-related strengths. The results showed no indication of compensation of dyslexia-related deficits by giftedness-related strengths in gifted children with dyslexia. The higher literacy levels of borderline children compared to gifted children with dyslexia seemed the result of both fewer combinations of risk factors and less severe phonological deficits in this group. There was no evidence for compensation by specific strengths more relevant to literacy development in the borderline group. Accordingly, the findings largely supported the core-deficit view, whereas no evidence for the twice-exceptionality view was found. Besides practical implications, the findings also add to knowledge about the different manifestations of dyslexia and associated underlying cognitive factors at the higher end of the intelligence spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scales for rating the behavioral characteristics of superior students (SRBCSS), which were developed by Renzulli and his colleagues, are considered the most widespread and the most important scales used in the identification of gifted and superior students. Recently, four new scales were added. The aim of this research was to examine the reliability and validity of the four new scales in the Saudi environment. The scales were administered in Riyadh city to 348 primary school children, and their validity was calculated in several ways: face validity, discriminative validity, construct validity, internal consistency, concurrent validity, and factorial validity. Reliability was calculated by Cronbach alpha and test-retest methods. Results showed that the scales have good psychometric characteristics, which render them suitable for use in the identification of the gifted in relevant scientific fields. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Little empirical research has been conducted regarding suicide and suicidal ideation about gay gifted adolescents, so most of what is presented in the literature is based on theories and assumptions. One key assumption was that the psychological challenges of gay gifted youth stemming from sexual identity and giftedness contribute to suicidal ideation and that educators need to become more aware of this issue. Specific challenges of gay gifted youth in the literature included hypersensitivity and perfectionism, as well as depression and isolation. Countering these challenges was the theme of resiliency, which gifted youth develop using abstract reasoning, while nongifted youth favor concrete reasoning. Difficulties in identifying this unique population reduce the ability of psychotherapists, researchers, and counselors to study suicide within this group. The limited amount of peer-reviewed literature and other published material regarding suicide and suicidal ideation for gay gifted youth underscores the need for further research on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reprint of the article "Peer Acceptance of Highly Gifted Children in Elementary School," by J. J. Gallagher, which is appeared in the 1958 issue of "The Elementary School Journal," is presented. Topics discussed include an overview of the relationship between social adjustment and the level of giftedness, and the conduct and findings of a study designed to determine how socially accepted are highly gifted children in the elementary school classroom.

A reprint of the article "Psychology, Psychologists and Gifted Students," by J. J. Gallagher, which appeared in the "Handbook of Giftedness in Children: Psycho-Educational Theory, Research and Best Practices," edited by S. I. Pfeiffer, is presented. Topics discussed include the identification of the gifted based on different points of psychologists, the concept of multiplier effects in relation to the emergence of prodigies and the characteristics of the gifted.

The article presents information on psychologist Jacques Inaudi and discusses his colleague Alfred Binet, child prodigies, and the role of historiography in psychology. Other topics mentioned in this article include the concept of international history, the concept of 'history from below', as well as the role of experiments.

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The voices of parents are not often heard in the literature and, when they are, it tends to be a litany of battles with the schooling system to achieve or not achieve some sort of acceleration for their gifted children (Gross, 2004). This retrospective study is unusual, as it is not based on a history of conflict. It is a positive account of parents and a school working together to support the students in their challenges. Twelve students had taken part in a planned program of full-year acceleration between 2001 and 2004 at a co-educational state (public) school in a lower socio-economic suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. Full-year acceleration is rarely offered in New Zealand (Riley, Bevan-Brown, Bicknell, Carroll-Lind & Kearney, 2004) and this program is believed to have been unique. The accelerands progressed through high school in four years and all but three were 16 years old when they graduated. This study reports the views of the students' parents as they reflected during a focus group in 2008 on challenges arising out of their children's full-year acceleration. This article focuses on the social and emotional challenges. Most of the accelerands were moderately, not profoundly gifted and many would not have qualified as 'gifted' in systems that catered only for the top 10%. Particular mention was made of the use of individual mentoring to ensure that the ongoing social and emotional needs of the students were monitored and close communication between parents and school encouraged. The parents show almost unanimous support for full-year acceleration as a strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides elementary gifted and talented students: Social Studies, Math, Turkish, Science, and Foreign Language courses in terms of differentiation, challenging activities and classroom climate. Research studies contend the significance of differentiation, challenging curriculum and instruction, suitable classroom climate to provide gifted and talented learners to develop their potential. Although gifted and talented education gets more attention in Turkey, there is limited research on gifted and talented students' views on their schooling. This study extends Gallagher et al. (1997) study through the analysis data collected by means of the Perceptions of Academic Lessons Questionnaire developed by the researchers in the Turkish context. A survey study design in this study allowed 370 elementary gifted students to present their views on schooling. Findings of the study demonstrated that there is a decreasing perception level of students as grade level increases. The results of the study reveal new questions that need to be addressed in the area of Gifted and Talented education in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study compared the performance and brain activity of children who were intellectually gifted or of average intelligence. 13 intellectually gifted (4 girls, 9 boys; M age = 12.0 yr., SD = 0.2) and 13 average children (5 girls, 8 boys; M age = 11.9 yr., SD = 0.3) participated in a task-switching experiment. The children performed a task repeatedly (single-trial blocks) or switched between two diff erent tasks (mixed-trial blocks). Intellectually gifted children performed quicker than the average group for both mixed and single-trial blocks. The electroencephalography P300 amplitude was larger in the mixed compared to the single-trial condition, but this eff ect was observed only in the gifted children. The results support the notion that gifted children are characterized by a faster maturation that leads to an 'adultlike' brain activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated high ability students' perceptions concerning the relations between socio-emotional development and academic performance. The research was carried out with 45 students (aged 8 to 12) identified as having high abilities, who attended municipal schools of Curitiba, Brazil. At the first stage of data collection, standardized instruments were used to access participants' self-beliefs and social skills. The second stage involved a semi structured interview concerning self-representations and contextual characteristics of being a gifted child. The results revealed high levels of self-concept and self-esteem, strong control-beliefs in relevant dimensions for academic success, and self-perceptions of being socially skilled. Moreover participants perceived parents', teachers' and peers' expectations as positive and challenging. Considering that many participants fit the average or a little above average academic level, participants eventually denoted connections between their socio-emotional development and their academic performance. Therefore, this study addressed some additional questions: If self-beliefs are important emotional bases that favor apprenticeship processes, why do students with high abilities, good self-concept, and high self-esteem operate academically just in the average or a little above it? Do such students not have the potential and socio-emotional resources to be academically successful? How might these self-representations be related to academic success? Are educators prepared to give their high ability students the possibility to "passionately" express their best potential? What is needed in educational institutions to graduate capable educators who go beyond mere information? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the mental workload, or psychological costs, associated with information processing tasks in children. We adapted the highly regarded NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) multidimensional workload scale (Hart & Staveland, 1988) to test its efficacy for use with elementary school children. We developed 2 types of tasks, each with 2 levels of demand, to draw differentially on resources from the separate subscales of workload. In Experiment 1, our participants were both typical and school-labeled gifted children recruited from 4th and 5th grades. Results revealed that task type elicited different workload profiles, and task demand directly affected the children's experience of workload. In general, gifted children experienced less workload than typical children. Objective response time and accuracy measures provide evidence for the criterion validity of the workload ratings. In Experiment 2, we applied the same method with 1st- and 2nd-grade children. Findings from Experiment 2 paralleled those of Experiment 1 and support the use of NASA-TLX with even the youngest elementary school children. These findings contribute to the fledgling field of educational ergonomics and attest to the innovative application of workload research. Such research may optimize instructional techniques and identify children at risk for experiencing overload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]