HIDDEN GIFTED STUDENTS - UNDERACHIEVER PREVALENCE AND PROFILE

The purpose of the present study was to provide a reasonably accurate estimate of the prevalence of one type of ''hidden gifted'' population (gifted underachievers) and to identify some of the key academic and personal characteristics that define this group. Study participants we re selected from 19 elementary, junior, and senior high schools in a l arge Western Canadian urban school district. A formula was used to ide ntify grades 4, 7, and 10 students whose measured intellectual potenti al was 120 or higher and who demonstrated a significant achievement-po tential discrepancy. Out of a total of 80 prospective students. a fina l sample of 58 students was administered the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoed ucational Battery-Revised (WJPB-R), the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scal e (PHSCS), and Thinking About My School (TAMS). Results of a MANOVA an d discriminant analysis indicate that there was a significant interact ion effect between gender and school level and a significant grade-lev el effect. Major findings were: (a) achievement scores on the WJPB-R w ere higher than their course grades; (b) there was a significant decli ne in attitudes toward school for this group of students at the junior high level, particularly for females; and (c) overall achievement dec lined as students progress from grade 4 to grades 7 and 10.