Meeting the social and emotional needs of gifted and talented students

The purpose of this review ofliterature was to identify the major problems gifted and talented children may face in social and emotional adjustments and how to cope with these adjustments. It also sought to document strategies by which the social and emotional needs of gifted and talented students may be met in the classroom and to delineate possible interventions that can improve their academic achievement. The review and analysis of literature revealed that two major social and emotional needs of gifted and talented students are self-discovery and an assurance that they are understood and accepted. Suggested interventions focused on the integration of social and emotional programs into the curriculum and life of the school. Conclusions reached as a result of this study include (a) the need for gifted and talented programs to devote more attention to the social and emotional needs of gifted and talented students very early in their learning experiences and (b) the importance of collaboration among teachers of the gifted and talented, classroom teachers, counselors, administrators, and parents in assuring that those needs are met. A number of implications for future research are also presented