Search Results (22)

Intelligence test batteries are a common tool in psychological assessment. Their results can have a large impact on an individual’s life, especially for children and adolescents. Despite this, uncertainty remains as to what extent these results are dependent on the test battery used. Two commonly used intelligence test batteries for children and adolescents in German speaking countries are the WISC-V and the AID 3. This study aimed to investigate the degree of comparability between the two test batteries in terms of their resulting scores, subtest content and test profiles in a mathematically gifted sample. A total of 36 children and adolescents (aged M = 12.89 years, SD = 0.58) completed all subtests of both test batteries. Results revealed that most IQ measures did not differ significantly between the two test batteries for this sample. The correlations of the subtests revealed a structure with four main nodes that was in line with previous factor analytical studies. The standard deviations of the $\tau$-adjusted test scores within test profiles were not significantly different; however, significantly higher ranges were found in the AID 3. Results indicate higher IQ scores on the WISC-V, differential validity for factor structures, and methodological benefits of adaptive testing with the AID 3, particularly in gifted samples. Despite subtest overlaps, composite scores diverge and require individualized interpretation. Full article

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) represent a growing population in U.S. higher education, including those with academic talents and gifts. Our research team has studied these academically talented students with ASD, along with their teachers, parents, counselors, and disability service providers at highly competitive colleges and universities in the United States. Using qualitative methodology and thematic analysis, this study examined factors and experiences relating to how self-perceptions of identification as twice exceptional contributed to academic success among 40 students with ASD attending highly competitive colleges. A focus of this research was the role that participants’ perception of their talents, disabilities, and learning experiences played in their academic success. Findings indicate that slightly under half of the participants believed they had a clear understanding of their academic talents and their ASD during college. Their self-perceptions of ability varied over time and based on various academic and social challenges, but most believed an understanding of their twice-exceptionality was necessary for their academic success. Over time, particularly during their college years, participants learned to better understand their talents and disabilities and to identify which strength-based experiences helped to shape their success. Students’ positive experiences, such as success in advanced, accelerated, and interest-based classes as well as enjoyable extracurricular activities, positively enhanced their self-perceptions of academic abilities and promoted confidence in future educational and career paths. Full article

Underrepresentation of English Learners (ELs) and students with disabilities in advanced learning opportunities is a long-standing equity issue. However, increasing access alone does not guarantee authentic engagement. This case study examined how elementary-age gifted English learners in early elementary, including a student with a speech and language impairment, engaged with an advanced elementary mathematics curriculum. Triangulated data were collected from 11 recorded lessons and transcripts, systematic observation coding, field notes, and a teacher interview. Situated within a larger quasi-experimental project but using an embedded instrumental case study design, the study drew on 11 video-recorded lessons, systematic direct observation (modified BOSS, 2624 coded intervals), field notes, and a post-program teacher interview. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression showed that student engagement was highly contingent on both instructional design and teacher facilitation. Whole-class instruction, often overly didactic, yielded passive or off-task behaviors, especially for the EL with disabilities. In contrast, structured small-group tasks and clearly assigned roles fostered greater participation and verbal engagement. Findings suggest that placement in advanced settings is necessary but insufficient; engagement must be continuously scaffolded through interactive formats, clear roles, and language-supportive routines so that ELs and ELs with disabilities can participate fully. Full article

Background: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program in response to the Congressional language in House Report 98-911 to establish research centers in predominantly minority institutions that offered doctoral degrees in the health professions and/or health-related sciences. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) recognizes the critical role of the RCMI in conducting biomedical research and providing healthcare to communities impacted by health disparities. The RCMI Coordinating Center (RCMI-CC) supports the Consortium of 23 competitively funded RCMI Centers, with a collaborative infrastructure, to stimulate research partnerships and harness the research talents of the many gifted scientists and health professionals to collectively support investigator development, and advance health disparities research. Objectives: This manuscript presents the national and public health impact of the RCMI-CC as it works to help RCMI achieve their primary goals. Methods: We describe the organization of the RCMI Consortium and evaluate the impact of the overall RCMI Program, as measured by highly competitive NIH awards, high-impact publications, and other metrics. Results/Impact: In addition to the competitive research R01 and equivalent awards, publications, and patents, RCMI-CC implementation of the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), and health services research in RCMI–clinical research networks, collectively highlight the national and public health impact, as measured by collaborative scientific excellence, investigator development, and community engagement. Conclusions: The RCMI-CC and RCMI Consortium collectively demonstrate national and public health impact, with externally validated quantifiable metrics and return on investment. Full article

In the last five years, several scholars have collaborated in an integrated research program focused on students identified with both academic talents and autism spectrum disorder (2eASD) with support from a Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education grant. Several different empirical studies were initiated and completed during this period, investigating the ways in which some of these twice-exceptional students have been able to be successful in secondary school and highly competitive colleges. In this article, we summarize findings from several of these studies, synthesizing implications and recommendations with a goal of offering research-based practices, especially related to healthy social and emotional development and strong academic achievement in students identified as 2eASD. Full article

This study investigated the added value of using self-identification of neurodivergence next to formal diagnosis in predicting cognitive differences. We collected and analyzed data from neurodivergent and neurotypical employees in a sample of 357 participants in 19 organizations across seven industries. Our results are aligned with previous results that support a systematic information processing tendency in highly gifted and autistic employees and decision impulsiveness in those with ADHD and ADD. Supporting previous findings, our results show different cognitive profiles of dyslexia and dyscalculia. Finally, our results show that self-identified neurodivergence adds to the predictive value of formally diagnosed conditions and that in empirical organizational research, self-identified neurodivergence is sufficient to capture the cognitive differentiation tied to neurodivergence. Full article

The current study examined the relationship between creative potential, estimated with tests of divergent thinking (DT), and emotional intelligence (EI). Previous research has hinted at a relationship, but the EI–DT relationship may differ as a function of the tasks and the specific components of EI. With this in mind, the present investigation compared two DT tests (Social Games vs. Titles Games) and examined whether or not the Interpersonal and Intrapersonal subscales of EI were more associated with DT than the Adaptability and Stress Management EI subscales. The youth version of the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i: YV) was used to measure EI. The measure of EI and the two DT tests were administered to 244 male and female gifted (N = 125) and nongifted (N = 119) high school students in Saudi Arabia. The first objective was to examine whether the EI–DT relationship differs based on the nature of the task of the two DT tests used in the current study (Social Games vs. Titles Games). The second objective was to test whether the Interpersonal and Intrapersonal subscales of EI are more associated with DT than the Adaptability and Stress Management EI subscales. Canonical correlation analysis showed that the relationship between the Social Games test and EI was stronger than the relationship between the Titles Games test and EI. Two path analyses were run: one for the total sample and the second for the gifted sample. The likelihood ratio test showed that the Social Games test was more associated with EQ-i subscales than the Titles Games test for both samples. As expected, the Inter- and the Intrapersonal subscales of the EQ-i were more highly related to Social Games fluency and originality scores compared with the Stress Management and Adaptability subscales. Limitations and future directions are discussed. Full article

This study examined the prevalence of the five forms of overexcitability in children ages 4–13 years who were previously identified as highly or profoundly gifted via a Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) score of 140+. The prevalence of overexcitabilities included an examination of the development and developmental potential according to Dabrowski’s human development theory. The results of this study provided an estimate of the prevalence and distinct types of overexcitability among highly-profoundly gifted young people. These findings will aid the inclusive identification and support of highly-profoundly gifted children and adolescents and help curb historical misunderstanding, misidentification, and misdiagnosis. The mixed-methods study included 88 study participants (parents) from the United States and Belgium who completed the Overexcitabilities Questionnaire II, Adapted (OEQ II, Adapted), the Development and Family History Questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview. The most prevalent OE profile was all five forms of overexcitability—emotional, intellectual, imaginational, psychomotor, and sensual—exhibited a lot of the time or most of the time. Nearly all (99%) of the highly-profoundly gifted children expressed combinations of three or more higher-level overexcitabilities including emotional, intellectual, and imaginational. A holistic assessment of overexcitabilities and giftedness by a professional trained in profound giftedness is warranted for unidentified children and adolescents with behaviors and development similar to the identified highly-profoundly gifted children examined in this study. To aid in the inclusive, early identification of giftedness and highly-profoundly gifted children, universal screening is recommended for all children entering kindergarten. Full article

In 2000, Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi published the highly influential “Positive Psychology: An Introduction” in American Psychologist, and with it, they advocated for a strengths-based approach for helping people live a “good life”. Building on that work, positive psychology was further conceptualized as consisting of meta-psychological and practical aspects. The meta-psychological constitutes the aims or “grand vision” of what positive psychology stands for, whereas the practical constitutes the “nuts-and-bolts” elements that should be focused on in developing interventions. In the present commentary, we build on this previous work to propose a “positive psychology pragmatic framework” to develop strengths-based interventions (SBIs) for use with special student populations; in this case, students with special needs and P-3 and gifted students. Relatedly, we review the empirical and theoretical/conceptual literature relevant to the use of SBIs within each subpopulation as well as discuss some characteristics that make each subpopulation unique. Consequently, to the highest degree possible, we advocate for integrating intrapersonal, interpersonal, contextual/environmental, systemic, and developmental factors in developing SBIs and we make specific recommendations for future research through the lens of this proposed framework. Full article

Teak (Tectona grandis) is a deciduous tree producing a popular, expensive, fancy timber with versatile utilization. The teak population and its habitats in the natural forest have been decreasing consistently; thus, the IUCN Red List classifies it as an endangered species. Teak tree logging from its native natural forest is banned, and commercial teak timber can only be harvested from the plantation. People plant teak on their private lands or in the community forest to meet the increasing demand. This study analyzed the annual tree rings of a teak disk taken from the community plantation and aimed to determine its biological rotation age. Tree ring interpretation provides the increment and growth that are mandatory fundamental components of knowledge in sustainable forest management. It may also decipher the tree’s biography, which contains information about past climate and future predictions responding to climate change. All of the disk’s annual tree rings were digitized, transformed, and then curve-fitted using an elliptical polar form of non-linear regression. The best-fitted curve estimation of every annual tree ring was employed to determine their age-related diameter and basal area, and then allometric equations estimated the above-ground biomass and clear-bole volume. The continuous and discrete formula fit the growth curve well, and this study determined that Chapman-Richards is the best fit among others. The growth curve, current annual increment (CAI), and mean annual increment (MAI) were graphed based on the clear-bole volume, above-ground biomass, and log timber price. The CAI and MAI intersections result in 28, 30, and 86 years of optimum harvesting periods when the growth calculation is based on volume, above-ground biomass, and log timber price, respectively. These results identified that the teak plantation is a sustainable and highly valuable asset to inherit with long-term positive benefits. The sociocultural provision of teak plants as an inheritance gift for the next generation has proven to be economically and ecologically beneficial. Full article

Chemical signals used by animals to attract the opposite sex are well known in insects, but heavily understudied in spiders. We investigated the role of chemical signals in female draglines in a gift-giving spider, Pisaura mirabilis, using combined data from behavioral tests and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We also investigated whether the quality of sexual signalization is influenced by crucial factors, such as female spider ontogeny, nutritional status, and mating status. We found that draglines of adult (versus subadult) and hungry (versus fed) females stimulated male motivation to produce nuptial gift, and highly sexually excited males invested more silk in gift production than less sexually excited males. Unexpectedly, chemical signals of eggsac-carrying females were similarly sexually attractive to draglines of adult females not carrying eggsac. HPLC identified significant chemical differences in female draglines, but these differences did not always correspond to male behavior. The integration of behavioral and chemical approaches is required to better understand animal behavior in future research. Full article

Scotland is a small country with an education system whose roots lie within an inclusive and egalitarian approach to the education of young people. Subsequent legislation, policies, and curriculum frameworks have been influenced by this, and also by the international move toward equitable, inclusive, and quality lifelong learning for all. Supporting those who are highly able/gifted and talented against such a backdrop offers both opportunities and challenges. In this qualitative study, the Global Principles for Professional Learning in Gifted Education are used to interrogate recent key legislation; the current curriculum framework, Curriculum for Excellence, and the National Framework for Inclusion; to ascertain the extent to which this inclusive approach, on paper, affords in-class and school-based support for gifted and talented/highly able learners. The results indicate that the legislative and policy frameworks coalesce with the Global Principles. While legislation does not change practice, it does influence and shape practice, and so can be used as a springboard for developing dynamic, culturally appropriate opportunities for Scotland’s gifted young people. Full article

Axes were rare among the Scythians but are occasionally found in Scythian kurgans. Like other weapons, axes had practical as well as social and religious roles. The Scythians not only placed axes in burials as burial gifts, but also used them at various stages of the funeral ritual. This article considers several hitherto unknown, highly unusual archaeological contexts featuring axes. These contexts show that axes were used in the ritual preceding the excavation of the grave; they completed the ritual before the filling of the grave; and they were included in the final sealing of the burial. In addition to the ritual implications of Scythian axes found in kurgan burials, this article considers the meaning of the representations of related artifacts on Scythian metalwork, as well as on the coins of Kerkinitis and Olbia. A bronze votive axe similar to the one from L’vovo Kurgan 18, Burial 2 is shown on Olbian Borysthenes coins, indicating a permanent relationship between the city and the Scythians, perhaps in the form of paying tribute (“gifts”) to the Scythians. The dating of Olbian Borysthenes coinage is also discussed. Full article

Traditional medicines are nature’s gift and our native heritage, which play a vital role in maintaining a disease-free life. Artemisia vestita Wall. ex Besser (family: Asteraceae), popularly known as “Kubsha” or “Russian wormwood”, is a highly enriched folklore medicine with wound- healing, antiphlogistic, antifebrile, antifeedant, anti-helminthic, antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, and antiproliferative potential attributed to the presence of various volatile and non-volatile secondary metabolites. A systematic and extensive review of the literature on A. vestita was carried out via the Web of Science, PubMed, INMEDPLAN, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and NCBI, as well as from several websites. The highly relevant literature contained in 109 references was selected for further inclusion in this review. A total of 202 bioactive compounds belonging to different chemical classes such as terpenoids, coumarins, flavonoids, alkaloids, acetylenes, tannins, carotenoids, and sterols have been reported in A. vestita, which are responsible for different pharmacological activities. The chemical structures obtained from the PubChem and Chem Spider databases were redrawn using the software Chem Draw^® version 8.0. This review paper summarizes the distribution, botanical description, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and conservation of A. vestita, which will assist scientists for further investigation. Extensive studies on the active constituents, pharmaceutical standardization, mode of action, and sustainable conservation of A. vestita are needed to further explore its wound-healing and allied medicinal properties. Full article

Eggs are highly nutritious foods, yet intake by children in Ethiopia is low. We hypothesized that a nutrition-sensitive poultry intervention improves nutritional status of children 6–18 months using a 6-month cluster randomized controlled community trial. Intervention group (IG) children received a gift of two egg-laying hens in a ceremony where children’s ownership of the chickens was declared by community leaders. Parents promised to add more hens and feed the owner-child one-egg-a-day. Trained community workers reinforced egg feeding, environmental sanitation and poultry husbandry. Control group (CG) mothers received usual nutrition education on child feeding. At baseline 29.6% of children were stunted, 19.4% underweight and 8.6% wasted. Egg consumption significantly increased only in IG, at 6 months. The intervention increased weight-for-age and weight-for-height z-scores by 0.38 (95% CI = 0.13–0.63) and 0.43 (95% CI = 0.21–0.64), respectively. Binary logit model indicated IG children were 54% (Odds ratio [OR] = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.26–0.84) and 42% (OR = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.37–0.91) less likely to be underweight and stunted, respectively, compared to CG. IG children attained the milestone of running (p = 0.022; AHR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.05–1.95), kicking a ball (p = 0.027; AHR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.04–1.87) and throwing a ball (p = 0.045; AHR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.01–1.86) earlier than CG. This nutrition-sensitive child-owned poultry approach should be implemented where animal-source food intake is low. Full article