Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T16:16:37.289Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Psychosocial aspects of the development of gifted underachievers: Review and implications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2015

Jacqueline Gonzalez  and
Alan Hayes
Jacqueline Gonzalez
Affiliation:
Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre
Alan Hayes
Affiliation:
Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre
Get access

Abstract

Gifted underachievers are children who display a discrepancy between high achievement and actual performance. Focusing on gifted children with a long-standing pattern of underachievement not explicable in terms of learning disability, this paper adopts a developmental perspective to the problem of gifted underachievement. Literature is reviewed on the affective development of gifted underachievers and the environmental factors which may foster or diminish success in school. It is argued that cognitive and affective variables do not operate independently and should not be considered in isolation from the environmental context of development. Further, gifted underachievers are situation-specif icand highly variable. Finally, implications for intervention are discussed in light of the need to view children's development not as a dichotomy of cognitive and affective change but holistically, as a complex interaction of child and environment.

Type
Articles
Information
Queensland Journal of Guidance and Counselling , Volume 2 , November 1988 , pp. 29 - 42
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adams, R. (1986) Case study: The gifted child with learning problems. Gifted Education International, 4, 21–23.10.1177/026142948600400106Google Scholar
Anastasi, A. (1982) Psychological testing (5th ed.). New York: MacMillan.Google Scholar
Anderson, L.W., & Anderson, J.C. (1982) Affective assessment is necessary and possible. Educational Leadership, 39, 524–525.Google Scholar
Bandura, R., (1977) Social Learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar
Barron, F., & Harrington, D.M. (1981) Creativity, intelligence and personality. Annual Review of Psychology, 32, 439–476.10.1146/annurev.ps.32.020181.002255Google Scholar
Baxter, P. (1984) The importance of identifying the gifted underachiever. Developing Education, 10(1), 19–23.Google Scholar
Belcastro, F. (1985) Gifted students and behavior modification. Behavior Modification, 9(2), 155–164.10.1177/014544558500920024004730Google Scholar
Blackburn, A.C., & Erickson, D.B. (1986) Predictable crises of the gifted student. Journal of Counseling and Development, 64(9), 552–555.10.1002/j.1556-6676.1986.tb01200.xGoogle Scholar
Blaess, D. (1977) Relative effects of attributional preference. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Iowa, 1976) Dissertation Abstracts International, 37, 7624A.Google Scholar
Borgers, D. (1980) Using reality therapy in the classroom with gifted individuals. Gifted Child Quarterly, 24(4), 167–168.10.1177/001698628002400407Google Scholar
Cecil, M., & Medway, F. (1986) Attribution retraining with low-achieving and learned helpless children. Techniques, 2, 173–181.Google Scholar
Colangelo, N., & Dettman, D. (1983) A view of research on parents and families of gifted children. Exceptional Children, 50(1), 20–27.Google Scholar
Compton, M. (1982) The gifted underachiever in the middle school. Roeper Review, 4(4), 23–25.10.1080/02783198209552627Google Scholar
Crittendon, M., Kaplan, M., & Hein, J. (1984) Developing effective study skills and self-confidence in academically able young adolescents. Gifted Child Quarterly, 28(1), 25–30.10.1177/001698628402800107Google Scholar
Dairs, H., & Connery, J. (1985) The effect of aptitude and achievement status on the self-system. Gifted Child Quarterly, 29(3), 131–136.10.1177/001698628502900306Google Scholar
Dean, R.S. (1977) Effects of self-concept on learning with gifted children. Journal of Educational Research, 70, 315–318.10.1080/00220671.1977.10885013Google Scholar
Dowdall, C., & Colangelo, N. (1982) Underachieving gifted students: Review and implications. Gifted Child Quarterly, 26(4), 179–184.10.1177/001698628202600406Google Scholar
Dunn, R., & Price, G. (1980) The learning style characteristics of gifted students. Gifted Child Quarterly, 24, 33–36.10.1177/001698628002400107Google Scholar
Fearn, L. (1982) Underachievement and rate of acceleration. Gifted Child Quarterly, 26(3), 121–125.10.1177/001698628202600306Google Scholar
Feldhusen, J., & Kolloff, M. (1981) Me: A self-concept scale for gifted students. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 53(1), 319–323.10.2466/pms.1981.53.1.319Google Scholar
Fine, M., & Pitts, R. (1980) Intervention with underachieving gifted children: Rationale and strategies. Gifted Child Quarterly, 24(2), 51–55.10.1177/001698628002400202Google Scholar
Fox, L. (1984) The learning disabled gifted child. Learning Disabilities, 8(10), 117–128.Google Scholar
Franks, B., & Dolan, L. (1982) Affective characteristics of gifted children: Educational implications. Gifted Child Quarterly, 26(4), 172–178.10.1177/001698628202600405Google Scholar
Freeman, J. (1983) Emotional problems of the gifted child. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 24(3), 481–485.10.1111/j.1469-7610.1983.tb00123.xGoogle Scholar
Glasser, W. (1965) Reality therapy. New York: Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Glasser, W. (1984) Reality therapy. In Corsini, R. (Ed.) Current psychotherapies (3rd ed.). Itasca, IL: F.E. Peacock.Google Scholar
Griggs, S.A., & Price, G.E. (1980) A comparison between the learning styles of gifted versus average suburban junior high school students. Roeper Review, 3, 7–9.Google Scholar
Hastings, J. (1982) A program for gifted underachievers. Roeper Review, 4(2), 42.10.1080/02783198209552637Google Scholar
Hopson, B., & Scally, M. (1981) Lifeskills I. Leeds: Lifeskill Associates.Google Scholar
Hopson, B., & Scally, M. (1986) Lifeskills III. Leeds: Lifeskill Associates.Google Scholar
Jacobsen, B., Lowery, B., & Ducette, J. (1986) Attributes of learning disabled children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 78(1), 59–64.10.1037/0022-0663.78.1.59Google Scholar
Johnson, C. (1981) Smart kids have problems too. Today's Education, 70(1), 26–27, 29.Google Scholar
Kanoy, R., Johnson, B., & Kanoy, K. (1980) Locus of control and self-concept in achieving and underachieving bright elementary students. Psychology in the Schools, 17, 395–399.10.1002/1520-6807(198007)17:3<395::AID-PITS2310170320>3.0.CO;2-N3.0.CO;2-N>Google Scholar
Kelly, K., & Colangelo, N. (1984) Academic and social self-concepts of gifted, general, and special students. Exceptional Children, 50(6), 551–555.Google Scholar
Lajoie, S.P., & Shore, B.M. (1981) Three myths? The over-representation of the gifted among dropouts, delinquents, and suicides. Gifted Child Quarterly, 25(3), 138–142.10.1177/001698628102500312Google Scholar
Mather, N., & Udall, A.J. (1985) The identification of gifted underachievers using the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-educational Battery. Roeper Review, 8, 54–56.10.1080/02783198509552931Google Scholar
McDowell, J. A. (1984) Coping with social and emotional factors through various strategies: Help forthe gifted students. Creative Child and Adult Quarterly, 9, 18–27.Google Scholar
Messer, S.B. (1972) The relation of internal-external control to academic performance. Child Development, 43(4), 1456–1462.10.2307/11275344643781Google Scholar
Messick, S. (1979) Potential uses of noncognitive measurement in education. Journal of Educational Psychology, 71(3), 281–292.10.1037/0022-0663.71.3.281Google Scholar
Mills, C.J. (1983, 04) Personality characteristics of gifted adolescents and their parents: Comparisons and implications for achievement and counselling. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 234531.Google Scholar
Moore, T.G. (1984) What children think and feel about themselves: Implications for teaching. Interview, 13, 4–7.Google Scholar
Myers, R. (1980) Underachievement in gifted pupils: Proceedings of a work-shop. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 185773.Google Scholar
Newman, C., Dember, C., & Krug, O. (1973) He can but he won't. The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 28, 83–129.Google Scholar
Olson, D.H., McCubbin, H.I., Barnes, H., Larsen, A., Muxen, M., & Wilson, M. (1983) Families: What makes them work. Beverley Hills: Sage Publicatioans.Google Scholar
Pirozzo, R. (1982) Gifted underachievers. Roeper Review, 4(4), 18–21.10.1080/02783198209552625Google Scholar
Pirozzo, R. (1984) Why do gifted children underachieve at school? Queensland Teachers Union Professional Magazine, 04.Google Scholar
Pirozzo, R. (1985) The Peninsula Enrichment Program: A community-based program for the gifted. Roeper Review, 8(2), 86–89.10.1080/02783198509552941Google Scholar
Ralph, J., Goldberg, M., & Passow, A. (1966) Bright underachievers. New York: Columbia University, Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
Renick, M.J. (1987) Measuring the relationship between academic self perceptions of global self-worth: The self-perception profile for learning disabled students. Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD.Google Scholar
Renzuli, J. (1978) What makes giftedness? Re-examining a definition. Phi Delta Kappan, 60, 180–184, 261.Google Scholar
Reschly, D. (1982) Assessing mild mental retardation: The influence of adaptive behaviour, sociocultural status, and prospects for nonbiased assessment. In Reynolds, C. & Gutkin, T. (Eds) Handbook of School Psychology. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1985) Family and school influences on cognitive development. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 26(5), 683–704.10.1111/j.1469-7610.1985.tb00584.xGoogle Scholar
Sameroff, A. (1978) Caretaking or reproductive casualty. In Horowitz, F.D. (Ed.) Early developmental hazards: Predictors and precautions. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.Google Scholar
Saurenman, D., & Michael, W. (1980) Differential placement of high-achieving and low-achieving gifted pupils in grades four, five and six on measures of field dependence-field independence, creativity and self-concept. Gifted Child Quarterly, 24(2), 81–86.10.1177/001698628002400207Google Scholar
Scruggs, T., & Cohn, S. (1983) A university-based summer program for a highly able but poorly achieving Indian Child. Gifted Child Quarterly, 27(3), 90–93.10.1177/001698628302700208Google Scholar
Shavelson, R.J., & Bolus, R. (1982) Self-concept: The interplay of theory and methods. Journal of Educational Psychology, 74(1), 3–17.10.1037/0022-0663.74.1.3Google Scholar
Shaw, M., & McCuen, J. (1960) The onset of academic underachievement in bright children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 51, 103–108.10.1037/h0043137Google Scholar
Tannenbaum, A. (1983) The concepts of over- and under-achievement. New York: Columbia University, Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
Webb, J.T., Meckstroth, E.A., & Tolan, S.S. (1982) Guiding the gifted child. Columbus, OH: Psychology Publishing.Google Scholar
Whitmore, J. (1980) Giftedness, conflict and underachievement. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.Google Scholar
Whitmore, J. (1982) Recognising and developing hidden giftedness. The Elementary School Journal, 82(3), 274–283.10.1086/461265Google Scholar
Whitmore, J. (1984) The challenge: To nurture the full development of potential in all gifted students. (Commissioned paper) ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 246606.Google Scholar
Whitmore, J. (1986) Understanding a lack of motivation to excel. Gifted Child Quarterly, 30(2), 66–68.10.1177/001698628603000204Google Scholar
Wyne, M., & O'Connor, P. (1979) Exceptional children. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath and Company.Google Scholar
Zaffran, R. (1983) Development of attitudes about control in gifted and talented adolescents: Family and school influences. Adolescence, 18, 269–283.Google Scholar
Ziv, A., Rimon, J., & Doni, M. (1977) Parental perception and self-concept of gifted and average underachievers. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 44, 563–568.10.2466/pms.1977.44.2.563Google Scholar
Zuccone, C.F., & Amerikaner, M. (1986) Journal of Counselling and Development, 64, 590–592.10.1002/j.1556-6676.1986.tb01212.xGoogle Scholar