Depression in underachieving gifted high school students and effects of a brief intervention strategy

Although gifted underachievers have been the subject of many studies, the possible connection between depression and underachievement had not been previously investigated. Effective counseling programs for high school student.s were lacking. A technique from family counseling literature, reframing, was recommended for use in the school setting. Sixty underachieving gifted students from local high schools were randomly selected and assigned to treatment/no treatment groups. A randomized pretest/posttest design was used to examine the effect of a brief intervention strategy in a single counseling session on Beck Hopelessness Scale scores, progress reported by teachers, and grade point averages. Various attribute variables were also considered. Results from a stepwise multiple regression support the effectiveness of the intervention in improving grade point averages. One of the significant factors on higher Hopelessness Scale scores was higher mothers' income. However, many mothers were not working outside the home making results difficult to interpret. On the other hand, the lower fathers' income contributed significantly to explaining· variance in higher Hopelessness Scale scores. Females and lower pre-GPA were also significant factors in explaining higher Hopelessness Scale scores. Family status (having an intact family) and higher pre-teachers reports accounted for higher post teachers' reports. The pre teachers' report, second quarter of the study, the intervention, and pre-GPA were significant factors in improved postGPA. Indications are that the underachievers group have higher rates of hopelessness than achievers. Some of the recommendations include reframing as a tool of the school counselor, (1) use of (2) use of the Beck Hopelessness Scale as a screening tool for identifying depression in the high school gifted, and (3) examination of depression in gifted underachievers in further studies.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Counselor Education and Student Personnel Services

Department dc:contributor.department

Counselor Education and Student Personnel Services

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1984

Author dc:creator

• Gill, Fredda Herndon

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Gerstein, Martin

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Fortune, Jimmie C.
• Keeton, D.
• Lichtman, Marilyn V.
• McDaniels, Carl O.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/74214

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/74214