Self-Concept of the Gifted: A Critique

February, 1987 By Elmer G. Wiens

The complete PDF version of this document appears at the URL: www.egwald.ca/education/gifted_self_concept.pdf.

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This document critically examines the construct validity of self-concept and giftedness in gifted students and explores their implications for educational practices.

Self-Concept of the Gifted

        • The paper critiques the construct validity of "self-concept" and "giftedness" and their relationship.

        • Research on self-concept in gifted students shows mixed results, partly due to measurement challenges and differing definitions.

Empirical Evidence on Gifted Self-Perception

        • Gifted students generally report positive self-concepts, with some studies indicating higher self-esteem than average peers.

        • Differences in self-perception are influenced by participation in gifted programs and specific traits like attitudes toward learning and social-emotional adjustment.

Construct Validity of Self-Concept

        • Self-concept is a multidimensional, hierarchical construct with facets like academic, social, emotional, and physical self-views.

        • Validity is supported by factor analysis and multitrait-multimethod studies, but causality between self-concept and achievement remains unclear.

Measurement Instruments for Self-Concept

        • Common tools include the Piers-Harris scale and the Self Description Questionnaire III (SDQIII).

        • These instruments assess multiple facets, with statistical methods confirming their internal consistency and relation to external criteria.

Causality Between Self-Concept and Achievement

        • Evidence suggests self-concept may influence academic performance more than vice versa.

        • Cross-lagged studies show the need for further research to clarify causal directions.

Validity of Giftedness Labels

        • Giftedness is difficult to measure objectively; tests like SAT and creativity assessments have limitations.

        • Factor analysis of achievement tests like SAT often reveals a single general factor, questioning their construct validity for identifying gifted students.

Creativity and Divergent Thinking Tests

        • Divergent thinking tests measure originality, fluency, and flexibility but face validity issues.

        • Gifted children tend to generate more ideas and show more reliable divergent thinking scores, yet the discriminant validity of these tests remains debated.

Theoretical Models for Giftedness Identification

        • Guilford's Structure of Intellect (SOI) model underpins many screening tests like SOI-LA.

        • These tests measure multiple dimensions such as operations, content, and products, but their construct validity, especially in adolescents, needs further validation.

Construct Validity of Self-Concept and Giftedness

        • Establishing construct validity is essential for measuring self-concept and giftedness accurately.

        • Evidence suggests the Shavelson model exhibits construct validity, with consistent measurement across factors.

        • More research is needed to define precise, widely accepted concepts for better understanding and prediction.

Relationship Between Self-Concept and Gifted Behavior

        • High self-concept may promote "gifted behavior," with some evidence indicating causality from self-concept to achievement.

        • Gifted students often have self-concepts as high or higher than general students, with variations based on specific abilities.

        • Improving self-concept is critical if it influences achievement and creative performance outside school.>

Measurement of Creativity and Divergent Thinking

        • Divergent thinking tests based on Guilford's model are effective indicators of creativity.

        • Originality and flexibility are confounded with fluency, limiting the tests' specificity.

        • Creativity correlates positively with intelligence, refuting the threshold hypothesis.

Validity and Predictive Power of Creativity Tests

        • Creativity tests during high school can predict adult creative achievement.

        • IQ measures may better predict nonacademic achievement than divergent thinking productivity.

        • Caution is advised in using early tests for selecting students for special programs.

Attitudes Toward Gifted Programs

        • Gifted programs are generally viewed positively but may lag behind other programs in perceived importance.

        • Peer and parental acceptance are vital for fostering positive attitudes toward gifted students.

        • More rigorous testing of self-concept and giftedness in specific environments like British Columbia is recommended.