This study examined whether a self-contained gifted classroom meets the needs of its learners. Considering the existing and desired aspects, as perceived by students, teachers, and parents, it offers a unique lens forming a holistic in-depth view of the self-contained classroom. Forty-two participants took part in this study: 20 students, 15…

Results of questionnaires administered to 295 gifted and talented students (9-15 years old) suggested that their stereotypes regarding gifted and talented students were highly positive. Students reported that giftedness can be attained by hard work, that they are not very different from others, and that others treat them well. (Author/CL)

The author examines problems and strengths in current research on labeling of gifted children and offers suggestions designed to broaden the scope of such research to include aspects of self-concept, teacher expectancy and effects of labeling on children, families, peers, and school personnel. (CL)

Affective traits (persistence, independence, and self-concept) are examined according to their relationship to giftedness. The author then poses questions regarding the affective results of labeling students gifted and cites problems with matching students' learning styles with their environments. (CL)

Six hundred gifted students (grades 4 through 12) completed a survey eliciting information regarding their feelings about being labeled gifted. Results provided corroborative evidence that students perceive the label more positively than negatively. Most considered the label a "requirement" for admission to programs that offered challenging…

This study examined degrees of acceptance of the "gifted" label between 155 adolescents who reported either extreme comfort (N=71) or extreme discomfort (N=84) with the label. Few students reported the use of conferences in school-initiated labeling. Adolescents whose parents had initiated labeling were most likely to report comfort with the…

A survey explored perceptions of 14 adolescents regarding the effects of being labeled as gifted. On a list of attributes, a positive sense of accomplishment, feelings of being unique, and the ability to cover material in more detail received the highest positive ratings. (CR)

The study of 482 parents of children in a program for the gifted found that although 90 percent of the parents thought of their children as gifted, approximately 25-30 percent refrained from using the term. Children whose parents used the term were consistently less well adjusted on both self-report and peer-report measures. (Author/DB)

An educator of the gifted reflects on issues equally relevant to gifted students and their teachers including being stifled by misconceptions about giftedness, spending more time reflecting on future efforts than on current achievements, and awkwardness about using the term "gifted" in relation to self. (DB)

Expansion of previous research on adolescents' attitudes toward their giftedness involved development of an open-ended questionnaire which was administered to 144 gifted and talented students (ages 15 and 16) in Texas. Results showed that views of the gifted label and its effects are multifaceted, and gifted adolescents are realizing positive and…

Implications of the term "gifted," including that of unjustified and unearned privilege, are considered in the context of findings on intelligence development, self-efficacy, education, prevalence, and the importance of labels. Five policy options are considered including abandoning the term and using performance rather than aptitude to organize…

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…

Actual/idealized and actual/public self-concept coherence was used as a measure of adjustment to being labeled gifted and subsequently participating in a gifted education program for 128 fourth through eighth graders. Results indicated overall better adjustment was significantly related to greater coherence between self- and ideal-self…

An expansion of the Social Coping Questionnaire was used to investigate how 229 gifted students (ages 11-17) coped with being identified as gifted. Results found five social coping factors: denial of giftedness, emphasis on popularity, peer acceptance, social interaction, and the hiding of giftedness. Females were more likely to deny abilities.…

This article examines the effects of labeling students "gifted." Educators are urged to spend less time on identification and more on providing services, conduct ongoing needs assessments, allow students to self-select areas of independent study, and educate stakeholders so the label is not perceived as the access to services. (CR)