Handbook of Giftedness in Children Psychoeducational Theory, Research, and Best Practices

Mention "special needs children", and most people think of students struggling to overcome learning and physical disabilities as well as problem behaviors that interfere with achieving full academic potential. But there is a hidden population of special needs children – the gifted and talented – and their teachers, parents, and other professionals are often not well equipped to respond to their unique academic and developmental needs.

In one comprehensive resource, the Handbook of Giftedness in Children brings together leading experts from the fields of psychology and education, combining theory and applied empirical research on such crucial topics as conceptualization, types of intelligence, developmental considerations, and ethical and legal concerns. Particular attention is given to social and family contexts, and evidence-based strategies and interventions offer solid guidelines on assessment, curriculum design, and encouraging and nurturing talent – from preschool through adolescence.

Sample topics include:

• Approaches to screening and assessment, including IQ and other tests
• The gifted child’s social world, from peer relationships to gender issues
• Special issues of gifted but disadvantaged students
• Problems and interventions specific to families with a gifted child
• Career counseling, planning, and mentorship

This volume is an essential resource for anyone working with gifted and talented children, including clinical child and school psychologists, educators and other allied professionals as well as child psychiatrists, family therapists, social workers, and pediatricians and other healthcare professionals. It also serves as an invaluable guide for graduate students in these and related fields.

Steven I. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., ABPP is Professor in the Combined-Integrated Counseling and School Psychology Program at Florida State University, where he heads the Mental Health Counseling Program. Before his tenure at Florida State, Dr. Pfeiffer was a professor at Duke University, where he served as Executive Director of Duke’s Talent Identification Program (TIP). He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, a licensed psychologist, diplomate in school psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology and listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. Dr. Pfeiffer is co-author of the widely used Gifted Rating Scales (see link on the right-hand panel) and Devereux Behavior Rating Scales-School Form, has authored or edited five books and almost 100 journal articles and book chapters in the areas of the psychology of the gifted, talent development, and children’s mental health. He served as the founding editor of the Duke Gifted Letter and serves on the editorial board of ten journals, including Gifted Child Quarterly and Roeper Review—two of the leading journals in the gifted field. Dr. Pfeiffer was recipient of the Mensa Education & Research Foundation Award for Excellence in Research. He was invited to testify at the White House on children’s mental health needs and has served as a clinical psychologist in the U.S. Naval Medical Service Corps (reserves). He has a private practice where he sees children, adolescents and families.