The conceptualization of giftedness continues to be a widely debated topic within the field. Recently, there has been a shift from a psychometric view of giftedness to inclusion of conative and contextual factors. How one defines and conceptualizes "gifted" drives assessment and identification practices. Conceptualization also guides the…

In this study, it was examined whether the WISC-R test scores of gifted children differ according to their area of special ability or not. The sample group of the study was selected from 5 different cities and was comprised of a total of 237 gifted children with 48,9% girls (n = 116) and 51,1% boys (n = 121). The class level of the children varies…

Mensa is an organization of people scoring in the upper two percent on an approved intelligence test. Once considered a group for "geeks", it has expanded its role to offer considerable resources to parents and teachers of the gifted. However, a review of the literature indicated that this information is not routinely available to…

Gifted children who do not achieve often have problems with motivation and socioemotional adjustment and may also have learning disabilities. This article examines factors such as attachment difficulties and maternal depression as these may contribute to underachievement. The article reviews past and current practices of gifted identification and…

Assessment is a crucial component of gifted education. Not only does it facilitate the recognition of the potential and specific needs of gifted students, it also monitors the progress and growth of gifted students, and allows for the evaluation of gifted education programs. In the present review, we synthesize the literature on assessment in…

This study investigated the predictive power of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), the General Ability Index (GAI), and the WISC-IV index score composites on subsequent reading and math standardized test scores among high-achieving students. The sample consisted of 84 elementary-age students…

Suggests improper application of standardized IQ tests may misidentify or underrefer thousands of intellectually gifted students each year. Presents 10 hazards that can bias IQ scores of gifted children and cautions psychological examiners and consumers of IQ test information to be aware of these hazards. (Author/AH)

Performance of 46 gifted and talented students (7-12 years old) on the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised was compared. Concurrent validity between the two full-scale measures was indicated. Scores on the alternative cluster of Broad Reasoning provided more accurate appraisal of…

This article presents a study of a program in Peoria, Illinois, for the gifted and talented that serves as a national test case for gifted education and minority enrollment. It was concluded that referral, identification, and selection were appropriate for the program model but that inequalities resulted from socioeconomic variables. (Author/LMO)