Frances A. Karnes

State Definitions for the Gifted and Talented Revisited

Definitions of gifted and talented students have been in a state of evolution for some time. Many states rely on the federal interpretation as a guideline for establishing their definitions relating to gifted education. However, the federal definition has gone through a series of metamorphoses with the addition and deletion of various terms and components. This article presents a brief history of the transition of the federal definition for students who are gifted and talented, as well as a description of other definitions that have impacted state definitions. An overview of state definitions in 1990 and 1998 is also presented and analyzed.

Self-Concepts of Gifted Students as Measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale

Self-concepts of gifted children were studied using the Piers-Harris Childrens Self-concept Scale. No significant differences were found among grades, between sexes, or between students enrolled in such programs. A significant difference was found between the gifted students and the standardization population, suggesting higher self-esteem for the gifted.

Life events as stressors with gifted adolescents

The present study investigated the perceived stressfulness of life events by 53 gifted adolescents in a rural southeastern area. In comparison to previous samples, these youths rated life events as similar except for items related to achievement, social status, and career aspirations, which they rated as more stressful. Pressure to perform was rated as stressful, but actually being labeled gifted was rated as a relatively low stressful event.

Moral development and the gifted: An initial investigation

A recent study to assess the level of moral reasoning in gifted students indicates that the level of responses were highly associated with intellectual functioning.

The Test of Choice for Assessment of Gifted Children: A Comparison of the K-ABC, WISC-R, and Stanford-Binet

Correlational and mean-difference analyses from 41 gifted children were conducted to determine the comparability of mental ability scores from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised (WISC-R), Stanford-Binet, and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC). Correlation coefficients ranged from .03 to .74. The three mean K-ABC processing scores were (statistically) significantly lower than the IQs from the WISC-R and the Stanford-Binet for all possible comparisons. The implications of using the three tests for placement in gifted programs are discussed.

Assessing Potentially Gifted Students from Lower Socioeconomic Status with Nonverbal Measures of Intelligence

The screening and identification of gifted students has historically been conducted using verbal measures of intelligence. However, the underrepresentation in gifted programs of culturally diverse children, who may have limited English proficiency or cultural values different from those measured in traditional intelligence tests, has prompted researchers to consider other measures. Nonverbal measures of intelligence have been utilized to increase the number of gifted children from diverse backgrounds. Researchers in the current study sought to increase the number of culturally diverse gifted students at a rural public school enrolling predominantly African-American students from low socioeconomic homes. 169 students in Grades 2 through 6 were assessed using three nonverbal measures of intelligence: the Culture-Fair Intelligence Test, the Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test, and the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices. The scores on these nonverbal measures indicated that the Culture-Fair Intelligence Test and the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices identified more students than the Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test. A discussion of the results and implications for research are presented.

Teacher Certification and Endorsement in Gifted Education: Past, Present, and Future.

State department of education directors of gifted education were surveyed in order to determirie the current status of certification/endorsement requirements in the United States. Responses from each of the 50 slates are included in this paper. Fewer than half of the states have requirements specific to gifted education for certification/endorsement. Those criteria that do exist are reported and dispiayed graphically, and a discussion of the importance of and need for certification/endorsement and periodic review is presented.

Teacher Certification in Gifted Education: The State of the Art and Considerations for the Future.

Certification for teachers of the gifted has been established in thirteen states, with a variety of practices being followed. Models for such certification have been developed and critiqued by members of professional associations in gifted education. Existing state certification requirements and recommended models are presented.

A leadership profile of secondary gifted students

The present study was undertaken to ascertain the leadership profile of secondary gifted students. Characteristics of leadership were based on earlier findings for adults who responded to the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire. The High School Personality Questionnaire, an instrument based on the 16 PF, but normed for high school students, was administered to 181 secondary gifted students, all of whom had Full Scale IQs of at least 130. Comparing their profiles with those of adult leaders showed the gifted students scored higher on Factors B, intelligence; F, enthusiasm; and Q2, self-sufficiency. They scored lower on Factors G, conscientiousness and Q3, self-control.

A study of self-actualization and self-concept in intellectually gifted students

The self-actualization and self-concept of 368 intellectually gifted students in grades 4 through 12 from a rural school district in a southern state were investigated using the Reflections of Self by Youth (ROSY; Schatz & Buckmaster, 1981), the Maslowian Scale (Falk, Bard, Duffy, Grieco, & Markus, 1988), and the Piers-Harris Childrens Self-Concept Scale (Piers & Harris, 1969). School level and gender had significant effects on the ROSY. The mean for students at the high school level was higher than at either the elementary or junior high school level. The mean for girls was higher than for boys. A significant interaction between school level and gender was observed only on the Psychological subscale of the Maslowian Scale. The ROSY and Self-actualization subscale and Total score of the Maslowian Scale were significantly related to the Piers-Harris. The ROSY and the Maslowian Scale were found to share a significant relationship (r = .51).