The study tested the extent to which parental social support predicted college grade point average among undergraduate students. A sample of 418 undergraduates completed the Social Provisions Scale-Parent Form (C. E. Cutrona, 1989) and measures of family conflict and achievement orientation. American College Testing Assessment Program college entrance exam scores (ACT; American College Testing Program, 1986) and grade point average were obtained from the university registrar. Parental social support, especially reassurance of worth, predicted college grade point average when controlling for academic aptitude (ACT scores), family achievement orientation, and family conflict. Support from parents, but not from friends or romantic partners, significantly predicted grade point average. Results are interpreted in the context of adult attachment theory. Parents strive to cultivate personal characteristics in their offspring that will enable them to function successfully and independently once they leave the parental home. This cultivation must occur throughout the child's life if he or she is to develop the self-confidence and skills required to meet the challenges of adult life. Contrary to early theories of adolescent development (e.g., Erikson, 1956), a stormy rejection of parental ties is not required to attain competent adult status. Rather, research indicates that individuals who maintain a close relationship with parents throughout adolescence demonstrate more self-confidence and independence than those who report greater emotional distance from their parents (Maccoby & Martin, 1983). Theories of early childhood development also stress the importance of a high-quality relationship with parents for the acquisition of needed life skills. According to Ainsworth (1982), responsive and nurturant parents provide a secure base from which the child can explore the environment without anxiety about parental availability. A secure relationship with one or both parents facilitates exploration, discovery, skill acquisition, and the development of self-confidence (Ainsworth, 1982). It is hypothesized that a secure relationship with parents throughout childhood contributes to the development of positive schemata regarding oneself (i.e., high self-worth and self-efficacy) and what can be expected in relationships with others (i.e., a

Underachievement in gifted students has perplexed educators and parents for decades. Researchers are continually looking for information about the nature and patterns of gifted underachievers that will enlighten those concerned. Counselors are particularly involved, because they often are asked to provide illumination and interventions. This study demonstrates how information in the cumulative school file, accessible to the school counselor, is a rich resource for understanding the patterns of achievement and underachievement among students identified as gifted and for use in planning interventions for students at risk for underachievement. Participants were gifted students (N = 153) who were determined to be either achievers or under‐achievers, based on their grade point average at graduation. High and moderate achievers and moderate and extreme underachievers were compared on information found in the school file, such as attendance, tardiness, course selection, and onset and duration of underachievement. Results indicate that there are differences between achievers and underachievers on a number of variables found in the school files. Profiles of these groups are presented with suggestions for actions by counselors.

Many authors have addressed the question of the nature of giftedness and talent only to discover that many factors, components, traits, facets, and potentialities are not captured by the tests in use (Bloom

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