Spatially Gifted, Academically Inconvenienced: Associations of Spatial Talents With Lower Academic Engagement and More Behavioral Issues

• In Event: Research on Creativity

Abstract

Spatially talented students have a capacity for success that is too often overlooked by K-12 educational services. Because of this neglect, theorists suggest these students experience greater academic struggles than other gifted students, including behavioral problems and lack of academic engagement. In this paper, we empirically explore these claims using three nationally representative datasets. From our analyses, we estimate there are over 2 million K-12 spatially talented students that are not identified by common gifted and talented screening processes. These students had greater academic challenges, including reading difficulties, poor study habits, behavioral troubles. Our findings support the need for services for these talented students.

Authors

• Joni M. Lakin, University of Alabama

• Jonathan Wai, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville