(1989). New York: Teachers College Press. After reviewing the research in the field of gifted underachievement, Emerick (1992) observed that the picture of the underachiever which emerges is complex and often contradictory and inconclusive (p. 140). However conceptually sound this notion may be, a definition that does not differentiate between a straight-A student and a student who is in jeopardy of failing may have little practical utility for the practitioner. Several lines of research remain inadequately explored. Please note the date, author, and publisher information available if you wish to make further inquiries about any republished materials in our Resource Library. Earl A Grollman High The results of this research suggest that flexible student-centered enrichment approaches may help reverse underachievement in gifted students. These interventions should be considered in view of the populations that were involved in the studies. For each personality trait common to gifted underachievers, there are many other underachieving gifted students who do not exhibit that trait. - prioritizing Manila, Philippines. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Gifted Children, Louisville, KY. Schwekzgebel, R. (1965). Van Boxtel, H. W., & Monks, F. J. Top 12 Quotes & Sayings About Underachievers A social cognitive view of self-regulated academic learning. This definition could include most gifted students, as many receive top grades in school without expending sustained effort. (1992). Defining underachievement based strictly upon scholastic success or failure may also be limiting. However, these findings support the notion that there is a correlation between a students achievement and the achievement of his or her closest peer group. New York: John Wiley and Sons. In other words, they may not identify a student as an underachiever unless performance in at least one major subject area is at least one year below grade level. Such a method may provide more insight into the nature of the childs achievement since children are repeatedly compared to the same norm group. Sociology of Education, 63, 44-61. New York: Teachers College Press. Counselors and therapists can help underachievers strengthen deficient reward systems, modify passive-aggressive propensities, and alleviate emotional deficits; educators can help students fill educational gaps and alleviate or compensate for cognitive handicaps. As you can see, intelligence and high achievement are two of the big winners. Disclaimer: The appearance of any information in the Davidson Institutes Resource Library does not imply an endorsement by, or any affiliation with, the Davidson Institute. Rimm, S. (1997b). Hinshaw, S. P. (1992a). Journal of Educational Psychology, 81, 329-339. Students may experience short-term lags in achievement that may not be indicative of a long-term underachievement problem. Counseling interventions for passive-aggressive underachievers are most effective when the student seeks counseling or at least participates willingly in the counseling process. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. The responses and actions of the students in this study suggest that when appropriate educational opportunities are present, gifted underachievers can respond positively (Emerick, p. 145). ), Underachievement (pp. Perhaps the family discord is a result of rather than a cause of, the childs underachievement. Despite this interest, the underachievement of gifted students remains an enigma. In M. Kornrich (Ed. Let us define underachievement as a discrepancy between expected achievement and actual achievement. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. Chichester, England: John Wiley and Sons. 416-435). Recently, researchers have begun to probe the relationships among underachievement, attention deficit disorders, and learning disabilities (Hinshaw, 1992a, 1992b). Students who are required to repeat grade levels or courses are rarely singled out as a result of low standardized achievement test scores. Often, standardized tests have low ceilings, and when gifted students score at the ceiling of a testing instrument, it is impossible to know how much higher the students performance might have been if the ceiling had been raised. Reis, S. M., Hebert, T. P., Diaz, E. P., Maxfield, L. R., & Ratley, M. E. (1995). Several authors (Heacox, 1991; Mandel & Marcus, 1988, 1995; Rimm, 1995; Schneider, 1998) have created profiles for different types of underachievers. Learning preferences and skill patterns among underachieving gifted adolescents. Do students underachieve because they come from families in conflict? Renzulli, J. S., & Reis, S. R. (1997). However, identifying underachieving gifted students by locating discrepancies between ability and achievement as measured by standardized achievement tests may lead to the underidentification of this population. Whitmore (1986) suggested that the problem of gifted students who lack motivation to participate in school or to strive to excel academically is, in most cases, a product of a mismatch between the childs motivational characteristics and the opportunities provided in the classroom (p. 67). WebUnderachievement Syndrome: A Psychological Defensive Pattern. However, whenever a students performance drops substantially over a short time period, it should merit the attention of a teacher or a counselor. If we hold low expectations for students who then achieve at low levels, they are not underachievers. If low self-concept causes underachievement, interventions that raise self-concept should enhance student achievement. Defining achievement is even more problematic. No reason exists to believe that all gifted students should achieve well academically (Janos & Robinson, 1985) or that ability and achievement should be perfectly correlated (Thorndike, 1963). Researchers and educators may need to adjust their views of both giftedness and underachievement when attempting to identify and address the phenomenon within a culturally diverse student population. However, the criteria needed to identify giftedness vary from state to state and from district to district. (1988). Moreover, a students family, school, or community environment or peer influences may also influence his or her level of achievement. In their recent study of gifted urban underachievers, the family dysfunction that characterized the lives of the gifted underachievers contrasted with the happier home lives of the gifted achievers (Reis et al., 1995). Her qualitative research study examined the patterns of underachievement and subsequent achievement of 10 young adults. In 95% of the families, one parent played the role of the parent that challenges and disciplines, and the other took the role of the protector. These findings suggest that reversing the underachievement pattern may mean taking a long, hard look at the underachievers curriculum and classroom situation. -- The underachievement of gifted students: What do we (1981). The authors also include suggestions for those interested in pursuing potentially promising new lines of research and inquiry in this area. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. Reversing underachievement among gifted Black students. Usually, a smaller student/teacher ratio exists, teachers create less-conventional types of teaching and learning activities, teachers give students some choice and freedom in exercising control over their atmosphere, and students are encouraged to utilize different learning strategies. In these classrooms, educators strive to create a favorable environment for student achievement by altering the traditional classroom organization. Talents in two places: Case studies of high ability students with learning disabilities who have achieved. Another area for research involves studying whether and how gifted underachievers differ significantly from non-gifted underachievers. In K. A. Heller, F. J. Monks, & A. H. Passow (Eds.) The Journal of Educational Research, 90, 259-268. Rather, a. continuum of strategies and services may be necessary if we are to systematically address this problem. Please note, the Davidson Institute is a non-profit serving families with highly gifted children. Although considerable overlap exists among the three authors conceptions of underachievement typologies, each author has described at least one underachiever type that is not mentioned by either of the other authors. Renzulli, J. S., & Smith, L. H. (1978). Parents of high-achieving students seem to utilize an authoritative parenting style more often than parents of low-achieving students (Taylor, 1994). Mansfield, CT: Creative Learning Press. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. The Schoolwide Enrichment Model: A how-to guide, for educational excellence. Ford, D. Y. Finally, the differences among the three authors typical categories of underachievers further illustrate the fact that none of the lists are definitive or immutable. Different types of underachievers may require different proportions of counseling, self-regulation training, and instructional or curricular modifications. Butler-Por, N. (1993). and classroom performance as evidenced by course grades. Perceived factors influencing the academic underachievement of talented students of Puerto Rican descent. The problem in this case lies in our initial predictions, not in the students levels of achievement. The prism metaphor: A new paradigm for reversing underachievement (CRS95310). In other words, tests may not register the decline since the first test did not discriminate accurately (Rimm et al., 1989 p. 62). ), Handbook of Gifted Education (2nd ed., pp. (1987). It is erroneous to equate an A in third grade math with an A in advanced placement calculus. Future research could explore the generality of the underachievement phenomenon and investigate whether interventions that are successful with gifted students might also apply to the wider spectrum of underachieving students. Fine, M. J., & Pitts, R. (1980). Weiner (1992) outlined four different interventions for four distinct groups of low achieving students: (1) strengthening deficient reward systems, (2) alleviating cognitive and emotional handicaps, (3) filling educational gaps, and (4) modifying passive-aggressive propensities. Although some underachieving students appear to progress during academic interventions, the long-term effect of such programs are less clear. 11-12). IQ test scores, achievement percentile scores, or grades that have declined for three years in a row are strong indicators of an underachievement problem. Such approaches would differentiate among different types of underachievement, incorporating both proactive and preventative counseling and innovative instructional interventions. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. Curriculum compacting: A guide for teachers. Gifted Child Quarterly, 37, 155-160. The Gifted Underachiever - HealthyChildren.org Janos, P. M., & Robinson, N. (1985). Classroom grades, though unreliable and teacher dependent, provide one of the most commonly used methods to assess and evaluate students. (NCES 97-055). One Personality Trait Distinguishes Gifted People The 90% confidence interval for a score of 130 is 124-134. Academic underachievement among the gifted: Students perceptions of factors that reverse the pattern. Although passive-aggressive underachievement may be more likely to indicate psychological disturbance than underachievement attributable to motivational, educational, and cognitive components, this type of underachievement seems fairly responsive to psychotherapy (Weiner, 1992). In M. C. Wang & E. W. Gordon (Eds. Because of these errors of measurement, psychologists can never determine with 100% certainty a students true score on the original measure. Chen, X. Minority students are often underrepresented in programs for the gifted and talented (Ford, 1996; Tomlinson, Callahan, & Leili, 1997). Schneider, S. (1998, Fall). Psychology in the Schools, 17, 395-399. This behavior illustrates a values conflict between adult and child (Whitmore, 1986). Model-based interventions provide an internal consistency between diagnostic and prescriptive elements. (1982). Some of the definitions included in Table 1through Table 4 (e.g., Mather & Udall, 1985; Redding, 1990) are specific operational definitions. (Rev. ), Educational resilience in inner city America, (pp. If unchallenging scholastic environments produce underachieving gifted students, then providing intellectual challenge and stimulation at all grade levels should decrease underachievement. Finally, should adults place higher expectations on gifted students, or does this represent an elitist and utilitarian view of humanity? 108-415). In M. Kornrich (Ed. Where Are the Gifted Minorities? Underachievement occurs when a child's performance is below what is expected based on the child's ability. Educational Leadership, 54 (7), 18-22. Further research is needed in this area in order to unravel the mystery of why gifted students underachieve and how we can help them succeed. WebUnderachievement in Gifted and Talented Students with Special Needs Sally M. Reis, Ph.D. These parents do not set high standards or expect their children to reach them. Finally, several fundamental philosophical issues surround the entire concept of underachievement. Underachievement in Gifted Students: Causes & Solutions Baldwin, A. Y. 9 Citations. Underachievers in school: Issues and intervention. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit. Profoundly gifted individuals Underachievement syndrome: A national epidemic. Mexican American students who came from Spanish-speaking backgrounds and who became proficient in English (FEP) were generally more successful in school than were those from Spanish-speaking backgrounds who were not proficient (LEP students) in English or than Latino students from English speaking backgrounds. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Intervention with underachieving gifted children: Rationale and strategies. Gifted Child Quarterly, 15, 279-292. All comments will be submitted for approval before posting publicly. Child Development, 64, 467-482. Too often, for no apparent reason, students who show great academic promise fail to perform at a level commensurate with their previously documented abilities, frustrating both parents and teachers (Whitmore, 1986). Renzulli, J. S., Reid, B. D., & Gubbins, E. J. Many early attempts to improve underachievers academic achievement through counseling treatments were unsuccessful (Baymur & Patterson, 1965; Broedel, Ohlsen, Profit, & Southard, 1965). The psychological characteristic ascribed to gifted underachievers vary and sometimes contradict each other. Rimm, S. (1997a). Gifted Psychosocial development in intellectually gifted children. Frick, P. J., Kamphaus, R. W., Lahey, B. In other words, one can stipulate with 95% confidence that this students IQ places him or her in the top 5% of the population on this measure. Gifted Three methods of assisting underachieving high school students. Bright underachievers. Finally, educators must consider the different value systems within the Hispanic American community in order to understand the achievement of Hispanic American youth (Reis et al., 1995). Counseling and guidance for gifted underachievers. WebOften the most disruptive student in the class are the gifted underachievers. Although her model of underachievement stresses the interaction of family, personal, community, and school factors on the behaviors manifestations of underachievement in Puerto Rican youth, it could prove helpful in understanding the nonachievement behaviors in a wider range of ethnically diverse students. Underachievement in Gifted Students Underachievement is an issue that can be especially impactful among gifted students, particularly those who are profoundly gifted. Profoundly gifted individuals score in the 99.9th percentile on IQ tests and have an exceptionally high level of intellectual prowess. However, students who have reversed their underachievement behaviors have noted that having a teacher who supported and believed in them helped them overcome their underachievement. Therefore, in the absence of developing formal programs for underachievers, providing underachievers with support, attention, and positive feedback could help these students reverse their underachievement. Columbus, OH: Merrill. 649-668). Giftedness (also called talented and gifted or TAG) is primarily determined through testing, which is often conducted by school districts. If you have questions about what the Young Scholars Program is or how we can support your student, please consider attending an Application Q&A session Monday, May 15, 2023 at 10:00am Pacific Time. Interventions that enhance self-efficacy or develop self-regulation may complement other intervention strategies and increase the effectiveness of other interventions. Fernandez, R. M., Hirano-Nakanishi, M., & Paulsen, R. (1989). Renzulli, J. S. (1977). Roeper Review, 7, 184-189. Author Lesley Sword provides strategies for parents to help their. For example, low self-concept is one of the most common characteristics ascribed to underachieving gifted students (Belcastro, 1985; Bricklin & Bricklin, 1967; Bruns, 1992; Clark, 1988; Diaz, 1998; Fine & Pitts, 1980; Fink, 1965; Ford, 1996; Kanoy, Johnson, & Kanoy, 1980; Schunk, 1998; Supplee, 1990; Van Boxtel & Monks, 1992; Whitmore, 1980). Underachieving gifted students: Review and implications. Gifted Child Quarterly, 26, 179-184. Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press. A longitudinal study of 35 culturally diverse, gifted urban high school students compared successful students to a similar group of high-ability students who did not achieve (Reis et al., 1995). Or, can we see the forest for the trees? Identifying an underachiever using one of the broader, more inclusive definitions is also problematic. The literature also presents a variety of other classroom designs, such as self-contained classrooms, and home and school partnerships. Underachievement in Gifted and Talented Students with Bruns, J. H. (1992). Furthermore, the correspondence between school districts adopted curricula and the content of the standardized tests used to assess student achievement is usually imperfect. Like gifted students in general., they exhibit great variability and diversity in their behaviors, interests, and abilities. & M. Bireley & J. Genshaft (Vol. The extent and effects of peer pressure among high school students: A retrospective analysis. Students who seem unmotivated may have attention deficits (Busch & Nuttall, 1995) or hidden learning disabilities. Whitmore (1980) designed and implemented a full-time elementary program for gifted underachievers.
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