The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know?

More than 15 years ago, Sally Reis, then President of NAGC, first convened a task force to review the empirical literature on the social and emotional needs and characteristics of gifted children. The purpose of that task force was to clarify what we did and did not know about the social and emotional development of gifted children and to lay some myths to rest. The book conceived in those efforts went on to become a popular graduate text book in many gifted education programs around the world, as well as a valued reference for teachers, parents, and academics.

Today, The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children (Second Edition) remains the only book that provides a comprehensive summary of the empirical research on the social and emotional development of gifted children by leading authorities in the field. It includes several features that make it the leading text on what we know about the social and emotional development of gifted children. For example, it summarizes the most significant findings from the empirical research on the topic.

The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children also includes noteworthy variations that have been observed across cultural groups or global contexts. Each chapter also provides a short description of the practical applications that can be made from the research. The second edition includes an entirely new section on the psychosocial aspects of talent development, as well as addresses the burgeoning interest and research base regarding gifted performance. The text also includes several new topics that have emerged from the research in the past decade, such as the neuroscience of talent development and motivation for talent development.

At the 2015 NAGC Annual Convention in Phoenix, Maureen Neihart, Psy.D., spoke about the second edition of The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children.  Click here to watch the interview.

To purchase a copy of The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children, click here.

This blog post contains excerpts from The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know?, edited by Maureen Neihart, Psy.D., Steven I. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., and Tracy L. Cross, Ph.D.