Understanding the Academic Success of Academically Talented College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Little is known about the academic and extra-curricular experiences of academically talented students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study focused on how these capable students with ASD successfully navigated and completed high school, and specifically, the experiences that enabled them to attend competitive colleges. Using comparative case studies and directed content analysis, data were derived from semi-structured interviews with 40 students who had been identified as academically talented with ASD, and were enrolled in, or recently graduated from, highly competitive colleges in the United States. The majority were identified as having academic talents, participated in challenging honors classes, enrichment opportunities, interest-based extra-curricular activities, residential summer programs, and pursued other advanced educational experiences. Implications for educational and talent development services are included.

Reflections on Experiences at a Residential Science and Math High School: An Alumni Survey

Residential Science High Schools (RSHS) for academically talented students that focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) provide opportunities for high school students to accelerate their education. This study examines the results of a retrospective survey from one RSHS, including alumni for more than 20 years after graduation. The results indicate that the alumni have high levels of educational attainment and careers in STEM fields. In addition, the alumni perceive their experiences at the RSHS to have been positive, and that the RSHS prepared them for their educational pursuits, careers, social experiences, and future leadership positions. Finally, although the alumni did report a drop in academic self-concept while they were in the program, this drop did not appear to have an effect on their long-term goals or educational attainment. The implications for this study are to support the use of radical acceleration in the form of residential schools for an educational intervention for academically talented high school students.

Perfectionism and the Imposter Phenomenon in Academically Talented Undergraduates

The imposter phenomenon is characterized as difficulty internalizing success due to feelings of inauthenticity or phoniness despite contrary evidence of competence. Academically talented students in undergraduate honors programs could be more vulnerable to the imposter phenomenon as compared with other undergraduates because of experiences surrounding perfectionism and participation in highly selective programs. In this study, researchers examined the relationship between gender, honors program participation, perfectionism, and the imposter phenomenon among undergraduates. Results of a hierarchical regression analysis indicate that socially prescribed perfectionism and honors program participation relate to higher levels of imposter feelings in an undergraduate sample. Implications and practical recommendations for researchers, educators, school counselors, and college administrators are discussed.

Perfectionism and the Imposter Phenomenon in Academically Talented Undergraduates

The imposter phenomenon is characterized as difficulty internalizing success due to feelings of inauthenticity or phoniness despite contrary evidence of competence. Academically talented students in undergraduate honors programs could be more vulnerable to the imposter phenomenon as compared to other undergraduates because of experiences surrounding perfectionism and participation in highly selective programs. In this study, researchers examined the relationship among gender, honors program participation, perfectionism, and the imposter phenomenon among undergraduates. Results of a hierarchical regression analysis indicate that socially prescribed perfectionism and honors program participation relate to higher levels of imposter feelings in an undergraduate sample. Implications and practical recommendations for researchers, educators, school counselors, and college administrators are discussed.

Parenting for strengths: Embracing the challenges of raising children identified as twice exceptional

Parents of academically talented students with various types of learning differences, often called 2E, need to understand how support their children’s unique needs. In this article, we discuss current research about 2E students and focus on how parents can both nurture and find educational opportunities that encourage their children’s strengths and simultaneously address their deficits. Talent development strategies are discussed for parenting for strengths with this population. Too often, 2E students, have conflicting needs that can complicate the identification and development of their talents and so this article concludes with specific recommendations for parents of these students.

Can Psychological Questionnaires Predict the Academic Talent during Higher Education Studies?

The space between secondary-school gifted education and starting one’s academic career is what is termed higher education talent management in this context. The “talent management”, in the aspect of the Hungarian higher education, refers to academically talented students, who prepare to the scientific career. So, the talent management in higher education can be imagined as a bridge between formal school studies and scientific career. In this research, I investigated empirically, with psychological questionnaires and other indicators what features and personality-traits contribute to academic/scientific success (number of scientific activities). 144 talented students were recruited to this research; all of them participated in a talent program or conception. The 5-page test pack included mainly professional psychological tests. The data was analyzed with linear regression statistical method, where the dependent variable was an index calculated from the students’ scientific activities. The regression model has been significant (F=3,453; df=128; p<0,05), but owing to the weak R-square value (0,226), the results are not suitable to the practical adaptation and talent identification.