Depression and self-actualization in gifted adolescents

Abstract

Administered the Multiscore Depression Inventory and the Personal Orientation Inventory to 248 academically gifted adolescents drawn from across the state of South Carolina to participate in a select program. Low but significant correlations were noted among several of the scales. Factor analysis of the scales of both instruments resulted in five factors for females and six for males. In both samples the first two factors accounted for more than half the variance. Gifted students who were not self‐actualizing types were more depressed, and their pattern of scores revealed that guilt, low self‐esteem, learned helplessness, and cognitive difficulty were important symptoms. The gifted adolescents, on the whole, tended to be more socially introverted.

Internalizing symptoms of gifted and non-gifted elementary-age students: A comparative validity study using the Internalizing Symptoms Scale for Children

“…In view of the present findings supporting the notion that gifted students have significantly more positive social-emotional characteristics than their non-gifted peers in terms of internalizing symptoms, it is difficult to explain why several previous investigations have produced the opposite finding (e.g., Berndt, et al, 1982;Hayes & Sloat, 1989Kline & Short, 1991). Perhaps findings in many of the studies in this general area are sample-dependent.…”

“…These findings may indicate a certain sensitivity or vulnerability to depression and other internalizing disorders which have been described by other researchers (Hayes & Sloat, 1989;Kline & Short, 1991). Some researchers have reported that gifted children tend to be more socially introverted (Berndt, Kaiser, & Van Aalst, 1982) and that they often prefer to be left alone or joined by a single friend rather than participate in larger and more social groups of peers (Terman, 1925). Additionally, the possible heightened sensitivity gifted children may experience may leave them much more aware of their peers' reactions to errors in a social setting, which may increase anxiety and hinder social development (Hayes & Sloat, 1990).…”

On a Pedestal: effects of intellectual‐giftedness and some implications for programme planning

“…In a study by Berndt, Kaiser, and van Aalst (1982), it was noted that a subgroup of gifted adolescents appeared to have the adolescent equivalent of a "success depression," some prominent symptoms being guilt, low self-esteem, helplessness and cognitive difficulty. The gifted sample as a whole was more depressed than their adolescent peers, as measured by the Multiscore Depression Inventory (Berndt, Petzel & Berndt, 1980).…”

Level of Depression in Intellectually Gifted Secondary School Children

“…Several studies have been conducted in an attempt to determine the level of psychological adjustment in gifted children. Anxiety, depression, suicide and delinquency were among the most specific and important variables to be investigated as they are known to correlate with psychological health (Baker, 1995;Bartell & Reynolds, 1986;Berndt, Kaiser, & Van Aalst, 1982;Janos, Marwood & Robinson, 1985;Parker, 1996).…”