Perfectionism and Academic Self-Handicapped among Gifted Students: An Explanatory Model

Ali M Alodat,Firas A Al-Hamouri,Moawyah M Abu Ghazal

doi:10.17583/ijep.2020.4426

Ali M Alodat, Firas A Al-Hamouri + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.17583/ijep.2020.4426

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Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship between perfectionism and academic self-handicapping strategies among gifted students in Jordan. This study used a mixed-method approach to explore the relationship as well as exploring any other factors associated with using such strategies. The Revised Almost Perfect Scale (APS-R) and the Academic Self-Handicapping Strategies Scale were used to measure perfectionism and academic self-handicapping among 242 gifted students on a high school for gifted learners. Subsequently, the researchers conducted four focus group discussions with 23 gifted students to identify the factors that may lead those students to use self-handicapping strategies. The results showed that Self-handicapped students were 4.58 times more likely to be maladaptive perfectionists than non-self-handicapped students. The results also revealed a combination of environmental, personal, and cultural factors that contributed to the use of these strategies by gifted students. This study has proposed an explanatory model to illustrate the relationship between perfectionism, academic self-handicapping, and factors that might be related. Finally, this study provided a range of educational implications that can be used in the field of gifted education.

Highlights

This study aimed to examine the relationship between perfectionism and academic self-handicapping strategies among gifted students in Jordan
The results showed that there was a correlation between the maladaptive perfectionism and academic self-handicapping among 172 students of the study sample (r = .71), while the correlation with adaptive perfectionism was among 70 students of the sample (r = .29)
This study examined the relationship between perfectionism and academic self-handicapping among a Jordanian gifted students’ sample, which could be considered as one of the first studies that investigated this topic among gifted students, especially in high school

Summary

Introduction

This study aimed to examine the relationship between perfectionism and academic self-handicapping strategies among gifted students in Jordan. This study has proposed an explanatory model to illustrate the relationship between perfectionism, academic self-handicapping, and factors that might be related. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo examinar la relación entre el perfeccionismo y las estrategias de auto-discapacidad académica entre los estudiantes superdotados en Jordania. Se utilizaron las escalas Revised Almost Perfect Scale (APS-R) y la Academic Self-Handicapping Strategies Scale con 242 estudiantes en una escuela secundaria para estudiantes superdotados. Gifted students may mainly use maladaptive behaviors that associated with their beliefs of academic success, which is correlated to their concept of giftedness (Snyder, Malin, Dent, & Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2014). The maladaptive behaviors of gifted students are linked to their high expectations of themselves, their successful image, and their pursuit of

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