Facilitating the career development of gifted young women

Abstract

Despite social messages implying substantial change, the majority of today's social realities are that gifted young women of the 1990's will encounter many of the same barriers to the realization of their potential that existed two decades ago. While the internal and external barriers remain relatively unchanged, our understanding of gifted and talented female adolescents has increased. New theories, research and, perhaps most importantly, new perspectives on traditional concepts and viewpoints have significant implications for working with gifted women. Drawing upon these sources, the present article focuses on the diverse characteristics and unique needs of this gifted population and specific intervention strategies for facilitating their career development. Implications for those working with gifted young women are also examined.