This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The pressure to be perfect may intensify for kids once they get into high school—especially for those labeled as "gifted," according to a new University of Georgia study published in Gifted Child Quarterly. Gifted students are typically identified in elementary school for advanced or additional class opportunities based on academic aptitude and competence.
They traditionally remain in these advanced courses throughout the K–12 timeline. The study found gifted high school students are more driven toward perfectionism than their younger counterparts. This drive was largely self-oriented, meaning the students held themselves to high standards.
But what drives that goal of perfection affects the well-being of teens, as well as their relationships with others. "We hear a lot from parents that their child is a perfectionist," said Sakhavat Mammadov, corresponding author of the study and an associate professor in the UGA Mary Frances Early College of Education. Mammadov is also the director of the Learning and Well-Being Lab.
"Some of them see it as something really good because they have very high standards and like to see their child succeed. "However, students cannot always meet that standard. Then that perfectionism becomes harmful." Researchers analyzed responses from nearly 2,000 middle and high school students across two different studies.
The first study involved 1,182 middle and high school students, including students in gifted programs and those who were not. Students rated how they related to perfectionistic statements such as "I have to work hard all the time" or "I should have done better" when looking at a mistake. Gifted high school students identified with perfectionist statements at a much higher rate than their same-age peers.
They were more likely to report thoughts like "I need to work harder" or "People expect me to be perfect" on a daily basis. The study found that high school appeared to intensify students' feelings of needing to be perfect. Increased expectations combined with Advanced Placement courses, GPA tracking and looming college decisions may bring perfectionist tendencies to the forefront, Mammadov said.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
