Mentoring individuals who are gifted, talented, and creative, but somewhat emotionally sensitive is a challenging and provocative arena. Several reasons individuals experience heightened sensitivity include: lack of nurturing, abuse, alcoholism in the family, low self-esteem, unrealistic parental expectations, and parental pressure to achieve.…

The paper examines the uniqueness of gifted children and the problems facing them and their families as a result of the giftedness. Annotations from the literature are preceded by selected quotations from gifted children designed to reflect the research and expert opinions which follow. The first section considers the complex nature of giftedness…

This study comparing 70 gifted children (ages 5-14) with 2 control groups revealed that emotional problems were not the result of gifted ability per se but of other disturbing matters such as others' expectations or family conflict. Academic underachievement was related to self-concept; gifted children's greater sensitivity was usually…

This article proposes guided viewing of film as a strategy through which teachers and counselors may assist young gifted students in gaining helpful insights to deal with problems. It presents a theoretical foundation for this approach, a variety of strategies for implementation, and recommended films appropriate for gifted students. (Contains…

Research on depression among gifted adolescent females is reviewed. A psychotherapeutic model drawing on established feminist therapy strategies is presented for counselors working with gifted adolescent females. The model emphasizes recognizing harmful effects of patriarchal society, supporting females in self-exploration, and pursuing nonsexist…

This editorial reviews the literature on the emotional states of gifted children, pointing out design flaws and the problem of using averages in such studies. Specific topics discussed include supersensitivity, guilt feelings in those who are gifted, the gifted underachiever, stress and coping, and fields for future research. (PB)

This article discusses the need for gifted students who have disabilities to have a strong support group to assist them with several key emotional issues that may impede their academic achievement, including: anger, fear of failure, a strong need to control, low self-esteem, an sometimes, even fear of success. (CR)

Two case studies and clinical examples document the capacity of highly gifted adolescents to mask severe depressive disorder symptoms. Factors contributing to this masking phenomenon include shame for being incapacitated and unable to resolve their dilemma; depression's signature cognitive confusion, which disengaged their coping mechanism; and…

This article describes an early morning program for gifted high school students in which, over breakfast, students participated in a poetry workshop as well as more conventional writing lessons. Samples of students' work in response to writing prompts are provided, and the role of the club in helping at-risk students cope with stress and…

This monograph presents 29 abstracts on the emotional price of excellence in the psychological development of gifted children. Sample topics include: self-as-learner schemas, the impact of academic pressure on Japanese students, multicultural counseling practices for gifted minorities, coping strategies of gifted adolescents, suicide among gifted…