Educators in the field of gifted education attempt to not only accelerate curriculum for their students, but also to encourage and expand their critical and creative thinking. They often explain this creative approach to students as "out-of-the-box" thinking. "The box" is an effective analogy to help children understand how to…

The author describes the use of AIM (Achievement Identification Measure), a parent report, to identify gifted students' underachievement characteristics. AIM examines five dimensions: competition, responsibility, self-control, achievement communication, and respect. (CL)

This reprinted 1985 article with a 1988 update discusses the identification of underachievement, especially in gifted children. It describes the Achievement Identification Measure, a parent report that measures certain underachievement characteristics including the ability to cope with competition, responsibility, self-control, positive…

The TRIFOCAL Model for curing underachievement syndrome is presented and is related to the Future Problem Solving (FPS) program, specifically the steps that involve changing expectations, role model identification, and changing reinforcements at school. A case study is presented of an underachieving sixth grade student who became actively engaged…

Family environments of 22 underachieving gifted students in grades 1-11 were compared with those of gifted achievers. Analyzed were family structural characteristics such as birth order and family size; family climate, such as attitudes toward children, child rearing philosophies, and family relationships; and parental values including achievement…