Rather than considering human potential in terms of an unrealized desired state, what if we framed it as gaining momentum in worthy long-term pursuits? This conceptual article, integrating ideas and findings from several scholarly literatures, explores how life purpose can serve as a meaningful, intentional guide for individuals, especially youth,…

Gifted students have unique social-emotional needs that are amplified through their heightened sensitivities or overexcitabilities. Common traits that gifted students exhibit in addition to their social-emotional needs are similar to those needed for the optimal level of citizenship, the justice-oriented citizen. This qualitative study asked a…

This article explores the art and science of Mindfulness from the perspective of a Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, author of five books in the Mindfulness Essentials series, and an American medical doctor, Jon Kabat Zinn founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction clinic (MBSR) at the University of Massachusetts. In addition, we will explore…

High achieving students or "bright children" are often denied access to gifted services because they do not meet "gifted" criteria. Although psychosocial factors play an integral role in academic success, and can be useful in providing a clearer picture of student need, they are seldom considered in the decision to identify a…

Although considerable research has addressed development from childhood giftedness to adult excellence, subjective perceptions of this development by gifted individuals themselves have remained largely unexplored. This multiple case study examined the ways in which young adults, who in the past had been identified as gifted, made sense of their…

This study explored the possible selves of high-ability African American males attending a specialized school for high-ability students. To this end, interviews were conducted with nine students. Results provided details about the hoped-for and feared selves the young men envisioned as well as the strategies these youth utilized to realize and…

This study examined the social context in which crystallizing experiences (experiences which solidify the individual's awareness of some aspect of the self) occurred among 422 gifted adolescents. Results found that most crystallizing experiences took place in public settings, were related to personal achievement, required no conscious…

Correlation of 82 academically gifted adolescents' personality scores with scores for identity exploration revealed that youth who were actively exploring (according to Erik Erikson's ego identity theory) exhibited the following psychological portrait: inner confusion, agitation, dissatisfaction, unhappiness, periodic spells of depression,…

Although gifted children have been the subject of investigation for 60 years, little information is available on gifted adults, particularly in regard to life satisfaction. To investigate life satisfaction in adults who as children were labeled as gifted, 298 adults, with a mean age of 27, completed a Likert-type instrument measuring degree of…

Although equal numbers of highly gifted boys and girls are found from early childhood until about age 12, 98% of the preeminent adults are male. This may be because, during preadolescence and adolescence, girls receive societal messages that undermine gifted girls' confidence and motivation. A vigorous campaign is needed to establish gender equity…

As a part of the general project investigating how home economics teachers can adapt their teaching methods and materials to the special needs students, this individualized instructional guide is designed to provide practical information, suggestions, and guidance for the classroom teacher. Following a brief description of special needs students,…