Parent Perceptions of Academic Underachievement Among Gifted and Talented Children

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 10:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Research on Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent SIG Roundtable (Table 1)

Abstract

This qualitative study explored parents' perceptions of the onset and factors contributing to academic underachievement in their gifted children. Twelve parents of 10 underachieving gifted children (ages 12-16) in the Midwestern U.S. were interviewed. The study employed a qualitative narrative inquiry design. Parents described a common trajectory where their child started showing early academic promise, but underachievement emerged in late elementary or middle school. Internal factors, including motivation, self-regulation, and mental health, interacted with external influences, including family dynamics, school environment, student-teacher relationships, and peer relationships.

Authors

• Ophélie Allyssa Desmet, Ball State University

• Fangfang Mo, Purdue University

• Alia Nerys Pineda Medina, Purdue University