Journal for the Education of the Gifted
Spring 2001, Volume 24, Number 3 Abstracts

Emotional and Social Characteristics of Boys with AD/HD and Giftedness: A Comparative Case Study
Sidney M. Moon, Sydney S. Zentall, Janice A. Grskovic, Arlene Hall, & Melissa Stormont

The purpose of this multiple case study was to investigate the emotional and social characteristics of boys who had co-occurring giftedness and AD/HD as compared with boys with only 1 of the 2 exceptionalities. The participants were 3 boys with AD/HD and giftedness and 6 comparison boys with only 1 of the 2 exceptionalities. Data sources included the participating boys, their parents, and their teachers. Data were collected by a team of researchers using parallel forms of a semistructured interview protocol and several rating scales, and were analyzed by the team in 4 stages using a variety of qualitative analysis techniques. Findings suggested that participants with co-occurring giftedness and AD/HD had difficulties regulating their emotions, problems with peer relationships, and stressed families. Giftedness appeared to exacerbate the social/emotional difficulties associated with AD/HD rather than serve a protective function. The findings suggested that AD/HD is a risk factor for psychosocial adjustment difficulties in young boys who are intellectually gifted. Implications of the findings for the field of gifted education are discussed.

Potential, Performance, and Paradox: A Case Study of J.P., a Verbally Gifted, Struggling Reader
Hillary Rae Hettinger & Nancy Flanagan Knapp

While numerous studies have described a picture of the prototypical struggling reader, children who struggle to read but possess other verbal and creative talents have been neglected in the literature. Because they are expected to acquire literacy quickly and easily, verbally gifted, struggling readers often encounter a different set of problems from other children who fail to read in the primary grades. In this case study, an 8-year-old, verbally gifted, struggling reader's difficult experiences at home and school are discussed, along with the responses of those in his life to his paradox of being highly verbal yet failing at reading.