An investigation into the needs of gifted boys

Abstract

This article examines the needs and problems of preadolescent and adolescent gifted boys as a direct function of their giftedness and gender. The author incorporates data from a national survey of gifted children to support his major premise: that problems of gifted boys can be differentiated thematically in terms of cultural conditioning, sexuality and success‐orientation, and ego development. An attempt is made to ground the issues related to gifted boys in a “socio‐psychological” foundation, including relevant findings from the field of male studies. The author concludes that the needs of gifted boys are substantial and deserve serious attention.