This article reviews several research studies on the achievement of gifted females. Factors that appear to contribute to lower achievement in career and profession include lower aspirations, lack of mentors, pressure to put energy into family, and poor self-esteem. Stressed are the different timelines for achievement experienced by many females.…

This study analyzed the lifespan development of 80 women who are contemporary creative writers. Themes in the women writers' lives were characterized by developmental events, including nurturing of talents by both male and female teachers and mentors; professional situations; and core personality/personal attributes that were similar to men…

This essay explores the relationship between denial of anger and denial of self in light of two aspects of Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration--the levels of emotional development and the psychic overexcitabilities. It suggests that issues for gifted children are exacerbated by their emotional intensity and offers strategies to help…

This essay examines the relationship of cognitive science, especially linguistics, to the development of the human mind, self, and intelligence. Linguistics is seen to contribute a complex computational ability to the sense of free will. Also considered as part of the integrated self are intuition, athletic intelligence, intellectual diversity,…

Gifted adults are recognized by society solely by their achievements, though the unusual developmental trajectory of the gifted creates an extraordinary experience of life at any age. The achievement orientation is now taking over gifted education and makes it difficult for the gifted to understand and honor the qualities of mind that make them…

The Stigma of Giftedness Paradigm served as the theoretical framework to develop a questionnaire which examined the school-based social cognition of 465 gifted adolescents. The model (which focuses on effect of the gifted label on adolescent wishes for normal social interactions) was found to aid in understanding the psychosocial development of…

The relationship between emotional maturity and the developing self in the gifted individual is examined. Emotional maturity is seen to involve the integration of intrapersonal and interpersonal aspects of the personality. The developing self is thought to be more than the sum of its components and becomes a global factor in the development of a…

Interviews with six women from working class backgrounds, who had succeeded in higher education, identified common issues in growing up gifted and talented in the working class, the dearth of role models and mentors, the loss of connection with family and friends, and a sense of impostership. (DB)

Examines the reflexive self, defined as the ability to reflect and consider who one is in relation to others, with examples from the experiences of gifted children and adolescents. Concepts of self-efficacy, self-image, self-concept, self-esteem, self-deception, and self-discrepancy are explored. (DB)

A study of 89 California Institute of Technology 1943 male graduates revealed that the men were highly productive, gifted individuals who contributed greatly to their scientific fields, maintained stable and satisfying family lives, contributed to their communities, pursued avocations in considerable depth, and found creative means for expressing…

This article describes one gifted child's social and emotional adjustment over time, as an interaction among many factors including his own personality, his family, and his school situation. The article demonstrates the child's difficulties in elementary school adjustment and describes the changes that occurred which enhanced his self-esteem and…

This article defines bibliotherapy, offers guidelines for selecting appropriate materials to use to assist gifted students to grow emotionally and socially, notes the crucial nature of teacher-led discussion in helping students interact with the literature, and provides discussion questions and suggested activities for each of six books.…

Necessary developmental tasks concerned with identity development of gifted college women include developing competence, managing emotions, developing autonomy, establishing identity, freeing interpersonal relationships, developing purpose, and developing integrity. These issues may be used as counseling interventions to raise career aspirations.…

This essay takes the form of a dialog between the human "Self" and a questioner and explores the nature of individual self-consciousness, the Freudian model of the self, the development of the self in early childhood, the importance of parents in the self's development, and special problems of self-awareness in gifted students. (DB)

Analyzes historical and contemporary cases where outstanding achievement resulted despite the lack of a strongly supportive environment. It concludes that personal strengths of the individual are the key factor in overcoming deficiencies in environmental support. Models of Feldman, Piirto, Tannenbaum, and Gagne are applied to the development of…