Perfectionism Perfectionism in gifted studentsin gifted students

“ Personally I never felt like anything I did was

good enough.” Angela, 17

“Many gifted kids are perfectionists, and they always

think they can do better.” Adriane, 12

“They expect themselves to be perfect in all areas of study, therefore when something goes wrong they undermine a prior success.” Sonja, 13

What is perfectionism?What is perfectionism?

Perfectionism is a twofaced attribute that Perfectionism is a twofaced attribute that can propel an individual to greatness or can propel an individual to greatness or cripple them with frustration and anxiety. cripple them with frustration and anxiety.

Types of PerfectionismTypes of Perfectionism

Accept mistakesAccept mistakes Enjoy high parental Enjoy high parental

expectationsexpectations Strong need for orderStrong need for order Intrinsically motivatedIntrinsically motivated Earns high gradesEarns high grades Gains pleasure from Gains pleasure from

task completiontask completion

Never feel things are Never feel things are good enoughgood enough

Need to achieve at all Need to achieve at all costscosts

Desire to be the BEST!Desire to be the BEST! Unrealistic and Unrealistic and

unachievable goalsunachievable goals Double telescope view of Double telescope view of

achievementachievement

Healthy Perfectionist Neurotic Perfectionist

Ways to measure Ways to measure perfectionism:perfectionism:

Burns Perfectionism Scale (1980)Burns Perfectionism Scale (1980) Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale

(Frost, Marten, Lahart, and Rosenblate (Frost, Marten, Lahart, and Rosenblate 1990)1990)

Almost Perfect Scale (Johnson and Slaney Almost Perfect Scale (Johnson and Slaney 1996)1996)

Research has Shown:Research has Shown:

As a group, gifted students are As a group, gifted students are perfectionisticperfectionistic

They seem to be more perfectionistic that They seem to be more perfectionistic that average-ability peersaverage-ability peers

Their perfectionism can be a positive force Their perfectionism can be a positive force for high achievementfor high achievement

Why?Why? Introverts are typically perfectionist and close half of the gifted Introverts are typically perfectionist and close half of the gifted

population is introverted.population is introverted. Because of the gifted child’s lack of challenge from the Because of the gifted child’s lack of challenge from the

beginning of their earliest learning experiences they become beginning of their earliest learning experiences they become accustomed to success hence their stringent avoidance of accustomed to success hence their stringent avoidance of failure. failure.

Their goals are set according to their metal age not their Their goals are set according to their metal age not their actual ageactual age so their asynchronous development can cause so their asynchronous development can cause problems.problems.

When their work is unchallenging they strive for perfect performance When their work is unchallenging they strive for perfect performance (like grades) instead of mastery. (like grades) instead of mastery.

Perfectionist teachers, parents and competitive peers may cause Perfectionist teachers, parents and competitive peers may cause the gifted student to view their worth as what they can achieve. the gifted student to view their worth as what they can achieve.

10 Tips for Combating 10 Tips for Combating PerfectionismPerfectionism

Be average for a day. Be average for a day. Allow yourself to be Allow yourself to be messy, late, messy, late, incomplete . . . Imperfect. incomplete . . . Imperfect. Then celebrate your Then celebrate your success.success.

Get involved in activities Get involved in activities

that are not graded or that are not graded or judged--activities that judged--activities that focus on process, not focus on process, not product. product.

Take a risk, Sign up for a Take a risk, Sign up for a course with a reputation course with a reputation for being challenging. for being challenging. Start a conversation with Start a conversation with someone you don’t know. someone you don’t know. Do an assignment or Do an assignment or study for a test with out study for a test with out over doing it. Alter your over doing it. Alter your morning routine, Start a morning routine, Start a day with out a plan. day with out a plan.

Give yourself permission Give yourself permission to make at least three to make at least three mistakes a daymistakes a day. .

Tips continued . . .Tips continued . . .

Stop using the word Stop using the word “should” in your self-talk. “should” in your self-talk. Remove “I have to” form Remove “I have to” form your conversation. your conversation.

Share a weakness or Share a weakness or limitation with a friend. limitation with a friend. Recognize that he or she Recognize that he or she doesn’t think any less of doesn’t think any less of you as a result. you as a result.

Acknowledge that your Acknowledge that your expectations of yourself expectations of yourself might be too high, even might be too high, even unrealistic. unrealistic.

Savor your past Savor your past accomplishments. Write accomplishments. Write about how good they about how good they made you feel. made you feel.

Tips continued . . .Tips continued . . .

Ask your friends to Ask your friends to help you “cure” your help you “cure” your perfectionism. perfectionism. Perhaps they can Perhaps they can give you a sign or a give you a sign or a word when they word when they notice you are being a notice you are being a perfectionist. perfectionist.

Join the human race. Join the human race. It’s less lonely when It’s less lonely when we accept our own we accept our own and others’ and others’ imperfections and feel imperfections and feel part of life. part of life.

Help your gifted child Help your gifted child by . . .by . . .

““praising them for their efforts and praising them for their efforts and determination, rather than being ‘smart’ determination, rather than being ‘smart’ or ‘talented’; and by encoraging them or ‘talented’; and by encoraging them to channel their efforts into what they to channel their efforts into what they care about most, rather than trying to care about most, rather than trying to

do everything equally well.”do everything equally well.”

Parents/Teachers: Don’tParents/Teachers: Don’t Single out bright child for special attentionSingle out bright child for special attention Ignore persistent teasing problemIgnore persistent teasing problem Discipline teasing by drawing more attention to Discipline teasing by drawing more attention to

situationsituation Give G/T students repetitious workGive G/T students repetitious work Use bright students as teacher aids (ask first)Use bright students as teacher aids (ask first) Punish for misbehaving when there’s nothing Punish for misbehaving when there’s nothing

interesting to dointeresting to do Teach same topic over and overTeach same topic over and over Encourage perfectionists to spend hours on Encourage perfectionists to spend hours on

headings or perfect handwritingheadings or perfect handwriting

What do the following have in common?What do the following have in common?

CheeseCheese Chocolate chip cookiesChocolate chip cookies Coco-ColaCoco-Cola PenicillinPenicillin Post-it-notesPost-it-notes Silly puttySilly putty

Why Mistakes are GreatWhy Mistakes are Great

Mistakes are universalMistakes are universal Mistakes show that you’re learningMistakes show that you’re learning Mistakes show that you’re trying Mistakes show that you’re trying

something new or differentsomething new or different Mistakes allow you to see your own Mistakes allow you to see your own

improvementimprovement Mistakes allow you to learn from othersMistakes allow you to learn from others

November 4, 2003 MCA Convention 14

April 11, 2006 2006 MCA Convention 15

Draw it, Write it, Make itDraw it, Write it, Make it Title several note cards with Title several note cards with

the words, “Draw it, Write the words, “Draw it, Write it, Make it”it, Make it”

On the back of each card, On the back of each card, write an interesting write an interesting questionquestion

Ask students to either Ask students to either Draw an answerDraw an answer Write a responseWrite a response Create an answer with clayCreate an answer with clay

ReferencesReferences Adderholdt, M., Goldburg, J. Adderholdt, M., Goldburg, J.

(1999). Perfectionism: What’s (1999). Perfectionism: What’s Bad About Being Too Good?. Bad About Being Too Good?. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Pub.Pub.

Delisle, J., Galbraith, J.(1996). Delisle, J., Galbraith, J.(1996). The Gifted Kids’ Survival The Gifted Kids’ Survival Guide. Minneapolis, MN: Free Guide. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Pub.Spirit Pub.

Furr, R., Hill, R., Huelsman, T., Furr, R., Hill, R., Huelsman, T., Kennedy, C., Kibler, J. Vicente, B. Kennedy, C., Kibler, J. Vicente, B. (2004). A New Measure of (2004). A New Measure of Perfectionism: The Perfectionism Perfectionism: The Perfectionism Inventory. Journals of Personality Inventory. Journals of Personality Assessment, 82(1), 80-91. Assessment, 82(1), 80-91.

Moon, S., Neihart, M., Reis, S., Moon, S., Neihart, M., Reis, S., Robeinson, N. (2002). The Social and Robeinson, N. (2002). The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Emotional Development of Gifted Children. What Do We Know?. Waco, Children. What Do We Know?. Waco, Texas : Prufrock Press. Texas : Prufrock Press.

Pruett, G. (2004). Intellectually Gifted Pruett, G. (2004). Intellectually Gifted Students’ Perceptions of Personal Students’ Perceptions of Personal Goals and Work Habits. Gifted Child Goals and Work Habits. Gifted Child Today. Today.

Schuler, P. (1999). Voices of Schuler, P. (1999). Voices of Perfectionism: Perfectionistic Gifted Perfectionism: Perfectionistic Gifted Adolescents in a Rural Middle School. Adolescents in a Rural Middle School. The national Research Center on the The national Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut. Connecticut.

The EndThe End