There is a paucity of research focusing on the needs of gifted children and their families, in particular, there is a lack of empirically supported parenting strategies to help parents in parenting their gifted child. This article provides an overview of the literature on difficulties experienced by parents of gifted and talented children, followed by a description of the development of a parenting program designed specifically for this population. Qualitative data from a survey of parents of gifted and talented children are presented to identify key themes for supporting and assisting parents. Gifted and Talented Triple P is a customized version of Triple P—Positive Parenting Program, consisting of nine sessions, specifically tailored for the needs of parents of gifted and talented children. The program is described and the clinical implications and future research directions in assisting parents in parenting their gifted and talented child are discussed.
Putting the Research to Use: The results of this study provide some key insights into the specific aspects of raising a gifted and talented child which parents struggle with, and the sorts of information they would like to receive to assist them in their role. The findings have led to the development and tailoring of a parenting intervention for parents of gifted and talented children, and have the potential to inform further research to support parents.
Ablard, K.E., & Parker, W.D. (1997). Parents' achievement goals and perfectionism in their academically talented children. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 26, 651-667.
2.
Albert, R.S. (1980). Family positions and the attainment of eminence: A study of special family positions and special family experiences. Gifted Child Quarterly, 24, 87-95.
3.
Alsop, G. (1997). Coping or counseling: Families of intellectually gifted students. Roeper Review, 20, 28-34.
4.
Arnold, D.S., O'Leary, S.G., Wolff, L.S., & Acker, M.M. (1993). The Parenting Scale: A measure of dysfunctional parenting in discipline situations. Psychological Assessment , 5, 137-144.
5.
Baker, J.A. (1995). Depression and suicidal ideation among academically talented students. Gifted Child Quarterly, 39, 218-223.
6.
Barnett, L., & Fiscella, J. (1985). A child by any other name: A comparison of the playfulness of gifted and nongifted children. Gifted Child Quarterly, 29, 61-66.
7.
Bloom, B.S. (1985). Developing talent in young people. New York: Ballantine Books.
8.
Brody, L.E., & Mills, C.J. (1997). Gifted children with learning disabilities: A review of the issues. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30, 282-296.
9.
Coleman, L.J., & Cross, T. (1988). Is being gifted a social handicap? Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 11(4), 41-56.
10.
Conroy, E.H. (1987). Primary prevention for gifted students: A parent education group. Elementary School Guidance and Counseling , 22, 110-116.
11.
Creel, C., & Karnes, M.B. (1988). Parental expectancies and young gifted children . Roeper Review, 11, 48-50.
12.
Czeschlik, T., & Rost, D.H. (1994). Socio-emotional adjustment in elementary school boys and girls: Does giftedness make a difference? Roeper Review, 16, 294-297.
13.
Dangel, H.L., & Walker, J.J. (1991). An assessment of the needs of parents of gifted students for parent education programs. Roeper Review, 14, 40-41.
14.
Dwairy, M. (2004). Parenting styles and mental health of Arab gifted adolescents. Gifted Child Quarterly, 48, 275-286.
15.
Eccles, A.L., Bauman, E., & Rotenberg, K.J. (1989). Peer acceptance and self-esteem in gifted children. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality , 4, 401-409.
16.
Feldman, D.H., & Piirto, J. (1995). Parenting talented children. In M. H. Bornstein (Ed.), Handbook of parenting (Vol. 1, pp. 285-304). Mahwah, NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum.
17.
Fornia, G.L., & Frame, M.W. (2001). The social and emotional needs of gifted children: Implications for family counseling. Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 9, 384-390.
18.
Freeman, J. (1994). Some emotional aspects of being gifted. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 17, 180-197.
19.
Freeman, J. (1995). Recent studies of giftedness in children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 36, 531-547.
20.
Gagne, F. (1991). Toward a differentiated model of giftedness and talent. In N. Colangelo & G. A. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of gifted education (pp. 65-80). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
21.
Garner, D. (1991). Eating disorders in the gifted adolescent. In M. Bierely & J. L. Genshaft (Eds.), Understanding the gifted adolescent (pp. 50-64). New York: Teachers College Press.
22.
Goodman, R. (1997). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 38, 581-586.
23.
Goodman, R. (2001). Psychometric properties of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 40, 1337-1345.
24.
Gross, M.U.M. (1999). Small poppies: Highly gifted children in the early years. Roeper Review, 21, 207-214.
25.
Gust-Brey, K., & Cross, T. (1999). An examinatin of the literature based on the suicidal behaviorss of gifted students. Roeper Review, 22, 28-35.
26.
Hertzog, N.B., & Bennett, T. (2004). In whose eyes? Parents' perspectives on the learning needs of their gifted children. Roeper Review, 26, 96-104.
27.
Janos, P.M., Fung, H.C., & Robinson, N.M. (1985). Self-concept, self-esteem, and peer relations among gifted children who feel "different" Gifted Child Quarterly, 29, 78-82.
28.
Jonhson, L.J., & Lewman, B.S. (1990). Parent perceptions of the talents of young gifted boys and girls. Gifted Child Quarterly, 13, 176-188.
29.
Karnes, M.B., Shwedel, A.M., & Steinberg, D. (1984). Styles of parenting among parents of young gifted children. Roeper Review, 6, 232-235.
30.
Kelly, K.R., & Colangelo, N. (1984). Academic and social self-concepts of gifted, general and special students. Exceptional Children, 50, 551-554.
31.
Kwan, P.C.F. (1992). On a pedestal: Effects of intellectual-giftedness and some implications for programmed planning. Educational Psychology, 12, 37-62.
32.
Landau, E., & Weissler, K. (1993). Parental environment in families with gifted and nongifted children. Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 127, 129-142.
33.
Lovecky, D.V. (1997). Identity development in gifted children: Moral sensitivity. Roeper Review, 20, 90-94.
34.
Markie-Dadds, C., Turner, K.M.T., & Sanders, M.R. (1997). Every parent's group workbook. Milton, Queensland, Australia: Families International .
35.
Maxwell, E. (1998). I can do it myself! Reflections on early self-efficacy . Roeper Review, 20, 183-187.
36.
May, K.M. (1990). A developmental view of a gifted child's social and emotional adjustment. Roeper Review, 17, 105-109.
37.
McCallister, C., Nash, W.R., & Meckstroth, E. (1996). The social competence of gifted children: Experiments and experience. Roeper Review , 18, 273-276.
38.
Monks, F.J., Heller, K.A., & Passow, A.H. (2000). The study of giftedness: Reflections on where we are and where we are going. In K. A. Heller, F. J. Monks, R. J. Sternberg, & R. F. Subotnik (Eds.), International handbook of giftedness and talent (2nd ed., pp. 839-863). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
39.
Moon, S.M., Jurich, J.A., & Feldhusen, J.F. (1996). Families of gifted children: Cradles of development. In R. C. Friedman & K. B. Rogers (Eds.), Talent in context: Historical and social perspectives on giftedness (pp. 81-99). Washington, DC: APA.
40.
Moon, S.M., Kelly, K.R., & Feldhusen, J.F. (1997). Specialized counseling services for gifted youth and their families: A needs assessment. Gifted Child Quarterly, 41, 16-25.
41.
Morawska, A., & Sanders, M.R. (2006). Self-administered behavioural family intervention for parents of toddlers: Part I-Efficacy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74, 10-19.
42.
Morawska, A., & Sanders, M.R. (2008). Parenting gifted and talented children: What are the key child behaviour and parenting issues? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 42, 819-827.
43.
Nail, J.M., & Evans, J.G. (1997). The emotional adjustment of gifted adolescents: A view of global functioning. Roeper Review, 20, 18-21.
44.
Neihart, M. (1999). The impact of giftedness on psychological well-being: What does the empirical literature say? Roeper Review, 22, 10-18.
45.
Neihart, M. (2002). Delinqeuncy and gifted children. In M. Neihart, S. M. Reis , N. M. Robinson, & S. M. Moon (Eds.), The social and emotional development of gifted children: What do we know? (pp. 103-112). Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
46.
Neihart, M., Reis, S. M., Robinson, N. M., & Moon, S. M. (Eds.). (2002). The social and emotional development of gifted children: What do we know?Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.
47.
Olszewski, P., Kulieke, M.J., & Buescher, T. (1987). The influence of the family environment on the development of talent: A literature review. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 11, 6-28.
48.
Parker, W. (1996). Psychological adjustment in mathematically gifted students. Gifted Child Quarterly, 40, 154-157.
49.
Pfeiffer, S.I., & Stocking, V.B. (2000). Vulnerabilities of academically gifted students. Special Services in the Schools, 16(1-2), 83-93.
50.
Porter, L. (2005). Gifted young children: A guide for parents and teachers (2nd ed.). Crows Nest , Australia: Allen & Unwin.
51.
Reis, S.M., & Renzulli, J.S. (2004). Current research on the social and emotional development of gifted and talented students: Good news and future possibilities. Psychology in the Schools, 41, 119-130.
52.
Renzulli, J.S. (1981). Identifying key features in programs for the gifted . In W. B. Barbe & J. S. Renzulli (Eds.), Psychology and education of the gifted (pp. 214-219). New York: Irvington .
53.
Reynolds, C.R., & Bradley, M. (1983). Emotional stability of intellectually superior children versus nongifted peers as estimated by chronic anxiety levels. School Psychology Review, 12, 190-194.
54.
Rimm, S.B. (1995). Impact of family patterns upon the development of giftedness. In J. L. Genshaft, M. Bireley, & C. L. Hollinger (Eds.), Serving gifted and talented students: A resource for school personnel (pp. 243-322). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
55.
Robbins, R., Tonemah, S., & Robbins, S. (2002). Project eagle: Techniques for multi-family psycho-educational group therapy with gifted American Indian adolescents and their parents. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 10(3), 56-74.
Roedell, W.C. (1986a). Socioemotional vulnerabilities of young children . In J. Whitmore (Ed.), Intellectual giftedness in young children: Recognition and development (pp. 17-29). New York: Haworth Press.
58.
Roedell, W.C. (1986b). Socioemotional vulnerabilities of young gifted children. In J. Whitmore (Ed.), Intellectual giftedness in young children: Recognition and development (pp. 17-29). New York: Hawthorn Press.
59.
Sanders, M.R., Markie-Dadds, C., Tully, L.A., & Bor, W. (2000). The Triple P-Positive Parenting Program: A comparison of enhanced, standard and self-directed behavioural family intervention for parents of children with early onset conduct problems. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 624-640.
Sanders, M.R., Markie-Dadds, C., & Turner, K.M.T. (2001). Practitioner's manual for Standard Triple P. Milton, Queensland, Australia: Families International.
62.
Sanders, M.R., Mazzucchelli, T.G., & Studman, L. (2004). Stepping stones Triple P: The theoretical basis and development of an evidence-based positive parenting program for families with a child who has a disability. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 29, 265-283.
63.
Seeley, K.R. (1984). Perspective on adolescent giftedness and delinquency . Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 8, 59-72.
64.
Shaughnessy, M.F., & Neely, R. (1987). Parenting the prodigies: What if your child is highly verbal or mathematically precocious? Creative Child and Adult Quarterly, 12, 7-20.
65.
Silverman, L.K. (1993). Counseling families. In L. K. Silverman (Ed.), Counseling the gifted and talented . Denver, CO: Love.
66.
Silverman, L.K. (1994). The moral sensitivity of gifted children and the evolution of society. Roeper Review, 17, 110-116.
67.
Solow, R.E. (1995). Parents' reasoning about the social and emotional development of their intellectually gifted children. Roeper Review, 18, 142-146.
68.
Strom, R., Johnson, A., Strom, S., & Strom, P. (1992). Parental differences in expectations of gifted children. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 23, 69-77.
69.
Turner, K.M.T., Markie-Dadds, C., & Sanders, M.R. (2000). Facilitator's manual for Group Triple P (2nd ed.). Milton, Queensland, Australia: Triple P International.
70.
Webb, J.T. (1993). Nurturing social-emotional development of gifted children. In K. A. Heller, F. J. Monks, & A. H. Passow (Eds.), International handbook of research and development of giftedness and talent (pp. 525-538). Oxford, UK : Pergamon Press.
71.
Webb, J.T., & De Vries, A.R. (1998). Gifted parent groups: The Seng model. Scottsdale, AZ: Gifted Psychology Press.
72.
Weissler, K., & Landau, E. (1993). Characteristics of families with no, one, or more than one gifted child. Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 127, 143-152.
73.
Whitmore, J. (1980). Giftedness, conflict and underachievement. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
74.
Winner, E. (2000). The origins and ends of giftedness. American Psychologist, 55, 159-169.
75.
Wolf, J.S. (1987). Workshops for parents of the gifted. Roeper Review, 9, 243-246.
76.
Zubrick, S.R., Ward, K.A., Silburn, S.R., Lawrence, D., Williams, A.A., Blair, E., et al. (2005). Prevention of child behavior problems through universal implementation of a group behavioral family intervention. Prevention Science, 3, 1-18.
