Gender differences of gifted adolescents have been studied in many countries. Recent changes in educational approach and social stereotypes seem to equalise the levels of male and female achievements. Present research aims to analyze the gender differences in gifted adolescents in the context of personal traits and psychosocial adaptation in Yerevan, Armenia.
The research has been conducted in schools of Yerevan for five years. The initial sample consisted of 500 high school students aged 16-18.
Renzulli's Three-Ring Conception of Giftedness was used to reveal gifted teenagers. According to the former, gifted behaviour is formed of and manifested through three essential components: above average ability, creativity and task commitment. The following instruments were used to measure all three components: Cattel’s Culture Fair Intelligence Test with for cognitive abilities (selected defining IQ score being between 130 and 145); Picture Construction Task from Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking and Academic motivation questionnaire for high school students by M.I. Lukyanova and N.V. Kalinina.
In the course of study 35 of 500 participants (7%) were defined as gifted. The quasi-experimental design has been used with 35 participants in the comparison and experiment group each (total sample size: 70 adolescents). The experiment group consisted of 14 females and 21 males, whereas the comparison group included 24 female and 11 male participants. Independent T-Test, with p < .05, using SPSS 22 was conducted for the comparative analyses.
The psychosocial adaptation was assessed with K. Rogers and R. Diamond questionnaire. To reveal psychological identity of the participants the Big Five Personality test was applied.
According to the results of the psychosocial adaptation questionnaire female participants significantly differed only on the emotional comfort (.004) scale. Male adolescents had statistically significant differences on adaptation (.002), emotional comfort (.003) and internality scales (.030). The difference on the following scales approached insignificance: accepting others, self-acceptance and domination.
The adaptation scale results indicate that teenage females adapt better than the males. This may be determined by the ability of the former to hide exceptional cognitive abilities as early as in secondary school seeking instead mechanisms to adjust to group norms.Compared to their peers, gifted male adolescents are more goal-oriented, tend to accept responsibility, follow their inner impulses and, on average, outperform females. While boys are more often encouraged by parents, teachers and larger socium to pursue the development of their abilities and professional growth, girls are expected to value diligence and their future family roles as mothers and wives.
Where personal traits are considered, the comparison group females show higher results on seeking new experiences scale (.013): They are better at grooming themselves (.041), behaviour- (.011) and self-control (.006), as well as understanding (.009). This suggests that the behaviour locus is external. They are also dreamy (.038) and differ from the gifted girls with their sensitivity (.003). Gifted female adolescents show neurotic tendencies (.001) manifested through anxiety (.000), depression (.000), self-criticism (.020) and emotional instability (.001). Gifted males also show vulnerability to neurosis displaying self-criticism (.027) and emotional instability (.034).
The results, particularly neurotic tendencies among both genders, are in line with the research conducted in other countries. Further studies of the psychosocial factors and ways of closing the gender difference gap fueled by the social stereotypes and inner psychological limitations is required.
Education , Group differences , Social and Life impacts
