Am I an Alien? High-Achieving Students' Sense of Belonging in School

• In Event: Motivation and Achievement of Gifted Individuals

Abstract

There is a persistent stereotype that gifted students feel ostracized and have less sense of belonging than their normative peers. To explore this stereotype, data from 9251 15-year-old students in the U.S. were used to explore differences in the sense of belonging across achievement levels in various domains (i.e., mathematics, science, and reading), sex, and economic, social, and cultural Status (ESCS). Results of multilevel model analysis indicated that achievement in reading, mathematics, and science, sex, and ESCS were significant predictors of sense of belonging. Post hoc analysis revealed that low, average, and high achievers all reported significantly higher levels of sense of belonging than gifted achievers. Female students reported significantly less sense of belonging than male students.

Authors

• Ophélie Allyssa Desmet, Valdosta State University

• Natalie Flaming, Purdue University