Effects of Gifted Label on Gifted Students’ Perceptions

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of labeling students as “gifted” on their perceptions of themselves and of their parents’ and friends’ attitudes towards them. Research shows that labeling can have both positive and negative effects. This study was conducted with 415 sixth-grade students who applied to the Education Programs for Talented Students (EPTS). Of the population 26 were identified to be gifted. The Gifted Label Effects-Scale (GLE-S) was used to collect data. Total scale and subscale comparisons of gifted students’ pretest and posttest scores showed that labeling students as “gifted” did not have any significant effect on their perceptions about themselves nor did it have any effect on their perceptions about their parents’ and friends’ attitudes towards them. However, a comparison of gifted students’ pretest-posttest scores by item showed increases in the following perceptions: “I feel lonely among my friends”, “my parents often compare me to other children” and “my friends tease me for my weaknesses”. In addition, results showed that gifted students had less positive perceptions about their friends’ attitudes towards them compared to those who were not identified to be “gifted”.