A psychological autopsy of an 18-year-old male with dual exceptionalities contributes to our understanding of suicide among students with gifts and talents. Using four theories and models of suicide and research on the lived experience of students with gifts and talents, a comprehensive analysis of this adolescent's life offers implications for…

Although they have the potential to excel, twice-exceptional (2e) students of mathematics do not usually have this opportunity as their special educational abilities, and special needs, are often misdiagnosed or "missed" diagnosed in schools due to the teachers' lack of knowledge. The study explored this issue using an electronic survey…

In recent years, a focus on individual student needs has set the stage for tailoring educational interventions to address issues of students who are not working up to educational proficiency standards outlined in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. This new pedagogical model may provide a unique opportunity to meet the needs of…

Despite being plagued by serious conceptual problems, underachievement ranks among the most popular constructs in research on the gifted. Many of its problems have their roots in the use of the IQ as the supposedly best method of measuring ability levels. Only a few decades ago the opinion was still widespread that the IQ-based construct of…

Visual-spatial ability is a multifaceted component of intelligence that has predictive validity for future achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations. Although identification and development of STEM talent is a national priority, visual-spatial ability is rarely measured and relatively neglected in gifted…

This article investigates downgrading from the highest level of secondary education in The Netherlands. "Downgrading" is defined as continuation of secondary education at a lower level. We conduct a longitudinal case study of downgrading in the first 3 years of a secondary school. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses are…

Although underachieving gifted students have been largely ignored in empirical research, there has been a modest surge of interest in describing and "treating" this population in recent years. It is estimated that nearly half of gifted youth achieve significantly below their potential. In the realm of school psychology, gifted children have…

Eighty-four teachers were asked to rate characteristics on a checklist as describing gifted, average, or below average students. Characteristics ascribed to below average students corresponded with patterns of gifted underachievers. Findings suggested the need to improve teacher recognition of student who underachieve. (CL)

Various causes of underachievement in the gifted early adolescent are considered, and features of good middle school programs for the gifted are reviewed. (SW)

Project Work, based on the success group approach, offered counseling to six gifted underachievers in middle school. The program, lasting 10 weeks, included group discussions, contracts, and daily evaluations. (SW)

Studies of behavior modifications with gifted students are reviewed in terms of maladaptive and adaptive behaviors in gifted underachievers, culturally different students, and gifted students with serious maladjustment and less serious behavior problems. (CL)

The Estes Attitude Scales are reviewed for appropriateness of use as diagnostic and identification tools with elementary gifted underachiever populations. It is pointed out that the scales are especially helpful for examining students' attitudes toward school subjects. (SW)

Expanded views of giftedness have begun to include previously unrecognized subpopulations, including gifted children with disabilities, gifted secondary school students, and gifted underachievers. Expanded views point to the viability of varied gifted programs; the use of human judgment in identifying giftedness; and consideration of giftedness…

Underachievement in gifted students is a behavior that can be modified by an awareness of its causes and the introduction of preventative strategies. Some of the dualities which suggest intervention procedures are push vs. pull, risk taking vs. risk making, encouragement vs. praise, and first best vs. first worst. (Author/SW)

Research shows that underachievement in gifted students is caused by a number of factors, including the student's social and psychological attributes, unfavorable family and cultural factors, and low teacher expectations. Two major strategies have been used to eliminate or reduce underachievement--counseling and homogeneous educational grouping.…