Conceptual Connections of Giftedness and Creativity: A Systematic Review of Gifted Education Journals (2005–2024)

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 9:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Roundtable: Conceptual Understandings in Creativity

Abstract

This systematic review examines how creativity and giftedness have been jointly conceptualized in gifted education research from 2005–2024. Analyzing 344 peer-reviewed articles across eight journals, we identified 18 recurring themes through qualitative coding of 13 core articles and applied these themes to a broader set of 120 studies explicitly linking creativity and giftedness. Results reveal a consistent conceptual emphasis on creativity in theoretical work but diminished integration in applied contexts such as identification, instruction, and policy. Our findings highlight a disconnect between foundational models and educational practice, suggesting the need for more intentional integration of creativity into gifted education systems. This study contributes a thematic framework to guide future research, programming, and policy in the field.

Authors

• Jeb S Puryear, University of Montana

• Kristen N. Lamb, University of Alabama

• Melanie S. Meyer, Baylor University

• Lindsay Ellis Lee, Advanced Learning Research & Consulting, LLC