Initial referral recommendations of teachers toward gifted students with behavioral problems

Abstract

The impact of two levels of behavioral descriptors (either mild or moderate behavior problems) and two levels of labelled conditions (either nonlabelled or labelled behaviorally disordered) upon teachers' initial referral recommendations was examined. Teachers reviewed a discriptive vignette of a hypothetical gifted student. The student was described as having either mild or moderate behavioral problems and either nonlabelled or labeled behaviorally disordered (BD). They then responded to an item assessing their initial willingness to refer the described student for possible placement in a gifted program. Results indicated that teachers were significantly influenced by behavioral descriptors. They were more willing to refer the mildly disturbed student for possible placement than they were the moderately disturbed youngster. They were not significantly influenced by the presence of the label BD.