Motivation and socio-psychological adaptation of cognitively gifted adolescents studying in general education schools

We report a study of achievement motivation and socio-psychological adaptation in cognitively gifted adolescents studying in general education schools, and the relationship of these phenomena in terms of F. Mönks multifactor model of giftedness. We assume differences in motivation and socio-psychological adaptation, as well as in their relationship with cognitively gifted adolescents and those shown no giftedness. The study involved 186 adolescents, studying in graids 8 to 10 in general education schools of St. Petersburg: cognitively gifted adolescents (n=77) and adolescents with average intellectual capacity (n=109). Data obtained showed significantly lower level of achievement motivation, and higher socio-psychological adaptation of cognitively gifted adolescents studying in general education schools, compared to their peers, not shown signs of intellectual giftedness, We found compensatory nature of the relationship of achievement motivation and the parameters of socio-psychological adaptation of gifted adolescents; achievement motivation associated with external control (externality) in all students. One of the main conclusions of the study is the assumption of possible negative effects of educational situation in general education schools on achievement motivation in gifted students.

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