Advantages and disadvantages of being 'gifted': Perceptions of the label by gifted pupils

Abstract

In addition to the opportunities afforded to them, the development of care for gifted pupils is also associated with the problematic handling of the 'gifted' label. These associations could affect several aspects of her/his life. The aim of this qualitative study was to discover the positive and negative consequences of the labelling of gifted pupils and to find their coping strategies, which would eliminate the negative consequences of labelling. Two hundred and eight intellectually gifted pupils aged ten to fifteen participated in the research. They were pupils of regular, inclusive elementary schools from the Czech Republic. The source of data was a questionnaire with open-ended questions. The positive aspects of labelling mainly concerned the academic and personal spheres, for instance, feeling good about oneself and extensive opportunities with regard to further education. Negative consequences affected the personal (problems resulting from giftedness) and academic (perfectionism, high expectations) areas, but above all, the social sphere. We discovered that gifted pupils are singled out from their peer groups, used for school work, and even bullied. The gifted pupils developed several coping strategies to deal with the negative consequences of labelling, such as helping others, conforming and denying their giftedness.