Predicting gifted students' academic attitudes from experienced academic challenge

Abstract

Rigorous academic experiences are thought to play a role in successful learning for gifted students. To further investigate this relationship, gifted college freshmen in a chemistry course completed a survey assessing their high school academic challenge, current academic selfperceptions, goal valuations, motivation and self-regulation, contingencies of self-worth on academics, and academic self-handicapping tendencies. Final grade information for the course was also collected. Regression analyses revealed that challenge was not a predictor of achievement but that challenging high school experiences did predict academic self-perceptions and motivation and self-regulation. As such, while challenge may not be a direct predictor of school performance, it may influence other important academic factors.