As the number of individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders grows, leaders are increasingly recognizing the limitations of the existing literature base to serve unique subsets of students on the spectrum. To date, there is a dearth of research regarding individuals who are both diagnosed on the spectrum and identified as gifted or high…

An analysis of contemporary motivation theories reveals implications for gifted and talented students. The expectancy-value framework, intrinsic-extrinsic motivation theories, goal orientations, self-efficacy and other self-perceptions, and attribution theory are described and discussed with respect to implications for the psychology and education…

Parents play a key role in developing their children's academic motivation, and parents of children with gifts and talents also may face additional parenting challenges that are less commonly faced by parents of average-ability learners whose needs are more readily met in the school setting. School psychologists may be charged with addressing…

Perfectionism has been associated with a rigid adherence to impossibly high standards, an irrational importance on the attainment of these standards, and a tendency to overgeneralize failures. Researchers have primarily focused on how perfectionism predicts psychological adjustment; yet, recent research also indicates that perfectionism impacts…

Although technology by itself may not be motivating, a relationship seems to exist between the opportunities that technology presents and motivation for gifted students. When technology use aligns with authentic or "real-world" applications, motivation can be enhanced. This article explores the overlap between factors that have historically been…

Curriculum is the framework around which much of students' school experience is structured; it represents expectations for growth and learning and demonstrates what is valued within the learning environment. The degree to which curriculum is motivating for gifted students depends in part on the individual student and how his or her goals and…

The seeming lack of motivation of many academically gifted students is an area of frustration and concern for many parents, teachers, and psychologists. This article explores two studies in which researchers designed interventions to improve academic achievement. Both interventions were created using the Achievement-Orientation Model. The first…

The identification of children who are twice-exceptional--those who are gifted and have concomitant learning disabilities (LDs)--has historically posed a number of challenges for school psychologists and other school personnel. With the reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and the shift to the use of a…

Gifted students are among the most underserved population in American schools and are some of the most underperforming in the world, ranking last in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Algebra, and Geometry among 13 other developed countries. To improve services for the gifted, possible gaps in training and service delivery must be identified. There is a…

This study involved two academically-gifted samples of 11th and 12th grade youth at the socioeconomic status (SES) extremes; one from an exclusive private, affluent school, and the other from a magnet school with low-income students. Negative and positive adjustment outcomes were examined in relation to multiple dimensions of perfectionism…

The purpose of this study is to examine how children's starting level and development of social competence (i.e., task orientation and peer sociability) during kindergarten and first grade predict gifted program enrollment by third grade, even after considering children's cognitive ability. A second purpose is to examine the extent to which the…

Study uses three measurements in order to determine the psychological makeup of academically gifted students who are admitted to and leave home to attend a residential school. Results indicate six different cluster groups described as: mathematics focus; social focus; nonathletic group; low overall self concept group; verbal group; and…

The Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) factor clusters of the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ III COG) were studied with a group of gifted and nongifted individuals. Results found both groups display similar patterns of performance across the CHC factor clusters. Discusses clinical and educational considerations when using the WJ III…

Administered Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) Form B to elementary school students (N=450) identified as gifted, normal, and mild mentally handicapped (MiMH). Results indicated that both the gifted and normal children had significantly higher self-esteem than did the MiMH children, but there were no differences between gifted and normal…

Compared Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) and Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (SB:FE) in identification and assessment of 48 intellectually gifted students. Findings suggest that scores of SB:FE and WISC-R, while both measuring 'g' factor, produce varying scores for gifted; many children currently in…