SOME OF THE PSYCHOSOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GIFTED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUPILS

Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti, ali se samopodoba in počutje v šoli med nadarjenimi učenci in učenci, ki niso identificirani kot nadarjeni, razlikujeta. Hkrati smo želeli v nalogi ugotoviti, kako se nadarjeni in ostali učenci razlikujejo v učni, splošni, socialni in telesni samopodobi ter počutju v šoli glede na spol. Naloga je sestavljena iz dveh delov, teoretičnega in empiričnega. V teoretičnem delu je predstavljen pojem nadarjenosti, načini identifikacije in značilnosti nadarjenih učencev. Povzete so tudi ugotovitve predhodnih raziskav s področja nadarjenosti in povezave med nadarjenostjo, samopodobo ter počutjem v šoli. V empiričnem delu smo analizirali rezultate vprašalnikov samopodobe in počutja v šoli. V raziskavi je sodelovalo 254 učencev 7., 8. in 9. razredov dveh osnovnih šol iz vzhodne Slovenije. Ugotovili smo, da imajo nadarjeni učenci višjo učno, splošno in telesno samopodobo kot ostali učenci. Rezultati raziskave so pokazali tudi, da imajo dekleta višjo učno samopodobo, fantje pa višjo telesno in socialno samopodobo. V sklopu počutja v šoli smo ugotovili, da ni statistično pomembnih razlik v počutju v šoli pri nadarjenih učencih in učencih, ki niso identificirani kot nadarjeni, dekleta pa se v šoli počutijo bolje kot fantje.The purpose of the study was to determine whether self-concept and well-being in schools differ between gifted and non-gifted pupils. At the same time we wanted to find out how gifted and other pupils differ in academic self-concept, in general, social and physical self-concept and to check the well-being in schools considering the gender. The study consists of two parts: theoretical and empirical. The concept of talent, ways of identification and characteristics of gifted pupils are presented in the theoretical part. The findings of previous research in the field of gifted pupils are summarized here as well as the connection between talent, self-concept and well-being in schools. The results of the questioners about the self-concept and well-being in schools are analysed in the empirical part. The study involved 254 pupils of 7th, 8th and 9th grades of two elementary schools in eastern Slovenia. We have found out that gifted students have higher academic, general and physical self-concept than other students. The survey results have also showed that girls have higher academic self-concept but boys have higher physical and social self-concept. Within the well-being in school, we have found out that there are no statistically significant differences about well-being in school for gifted and non-gifted pupils, but it is true that girls feel better in school than boys