Career and Life Development of a Gifted Student in Poverty: A Qualitative Longitudinal Case Study

Abstract

This research is a qualitative study of Semi (alias), a gifted Korean male high school student living in urban poverty. Interviews with Semi 6 times for three years, 60 minutes per interview, were analyzed as a part of a longitudinal qualitative study. Semi had been overwhelmed by the harsh environment and unable to move forward. Semi was the only gifted among participants with the highest IQ (in the gifted range with Korea Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Ⅳ at age 17). Although he had the highest intellectual ability among the participants, he did not have confidence in himself. And he did not achieve anything at all when he graduated high school. He spent another year to prepare the college entrance exam, but he failed and left the research for good. The qualitative data were analyed into six themes (neglected childhood, intimate, but worried father, housing instability, helpful teacher, frustrated dream of astronomer, lack of motivation to escape poverty). Among them a representative example of Semi's poor environment is housing instability and Semi's disadvantage is also revealed in that he did not meet an adult who could be a role model for life. The implications and suggestions for future research in career education and counseling were discussed.