Gifted Adolescent Girls Speak Out: A Psychosocial Theoretical Model of Career Development

Abstract

The Psychosocial Theoretical Model of Gifted Adolescent Girls’ Career Development (PTM) is a framework which reveals the interrelated factors that influence career development for gifted adolescent girls. The model was developed during the completion of a PhD thesis (Napier, 2020) and provides important new insights to support their career trajectories and encourage further research. The PTM is a comprehensive and compact guide for gifted education stakeholders in their advisory, support, and decision-making roles for this population. In particular, it facilitates both population and more bespoke career development provisions for gifted adolescent girls who, research indicates (Napier, 2020), are often motivated to meaningfully transform our world for the better. A range of significant recommendations is also provided for families, schools, and communities to support these young people who are altruistically driven to use their strengths and interests to make a difference in others’ lives.