Validity of the Gifted Student Screening Scale

Abstract

A major dilemma in the identification of gifted students is how effectively and efficiently to screen the general population without excluding potential candidates for gifted programs. A new instrument, the Gifted Student Screening Scale (GSSS) (Hall, 1985), offers a promising solution to the screening problem. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the GSSS, with a validating sample of almost all middle-class and white students, could assure effective and efficient screening of students. A total of 479 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders from seven parochial schools were rated on the GSSS by their classroom teachers. A cutoff score of 50 is recommended by the author of the test; below that score a student is probably not gifted, and above it a student should be tested further for giftedness. Participants consisted of 54 students randomly selected from the pool of students whose scores clustered around the cutoff score. These 54 students were given the WISC-R by trained graduate students. Several statistical analyses were performed on the resulting data. When the students were grouped by GSSS scores into two groups (30-49 and 50-70), there was no significant difference in WISC-R scores. Discriminant analysis revealed little difference between the groups, indicating that the GSSS contributed very little to group discrimination. A one-way analysis of variance was performed on the WISC-R Full-Scale IQs of the white and nonwhite students in the sample with a result of no significant difference. These results indicate that the GSSS did not exclude any gifted student and that it is not racially biased. However, the GSSS also did not include any gifted students. It is suggested that the cutoff score of 50 may be too low for this population. Further investigation is recommended to establish a cutoff score appropriate for use with students like those included in this study.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bernal, E.M. (1980). Methods of identifying gifted miniority students . Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service. (ERIC Clearinghouse on Tests, Measurement, & Evaluation Report No. 72)

Burke, J.P. , Haworth, C.E. , & Ware, W.B. (1982). Scale for rating behavioral characteristics of superior students: An investigation of factor structure. The Joumal of Special Education, 16, 477-485.

Clark, B. (1983). Growing up gifted (2nd ed.). Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill.

Drews, E.M. (1966). The creative intellectual style in gifted adolescents. (Final report of Title VII Project # 647-I, National Defense Act of 1958) . East Lansing: Michigan State University .

Gear, G.H. (1976). Accuracy of teacher judgment in identifying intellectually gifted children: A review of the literature. Gifted Child Quarterly, 20, 478-490.

Gregory, D.A. (1984). Assessment of the gifted. Diagnostique , 10, 88-97.

Hagen, E. (1980). Identification of the gifted. New York: Teachers College Press.

Hall, E.G. (1985). Gifted student screening scale. East Lansing, MI: Minerva Materials.

Hall, E.G. , & Trentham, L.L. (1984). The development and validation of a gifted student screening scale. Diagnostique, 9, 161-171.

10.

Masten, W.G. (1985). Identification of gifted minority students: Past research, future directions. Roeper Review: A Journal on Gifted Education, 8, 83-85.

11.

Richert, E.S. (1985). Identification of gifted children in the United States: The need for pluralistic assessment. Roeper Review: A Joumal on Gifted Education, 8, 68-72.

12.

Wechsler, D. (1974). The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children- Revised. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corp.

13.

Williams, R.J. , Wall, C. , & Algozzine, B. (1980). An analysis of an identification procedure for gifted children. Diagnostique, 6, 10-15.