Giftedness and Family Well-being: The Role of Emotional Intelligence, Perceived Social Support and Stress

Background: Families of gifted students may have poorer well-being due to difficulties in parenting. Emotional intelligence could help parents manage negative emotions and improve their self-esteem, and perceived social support and stress could mediate this relationship. The objective of this study was to analyze these variables by testing a mediation model in parents of gifted children and parents in general. Method: Questionnaires assessing emotional intelligence, stress, perceived social support, affect and self-esteem were administered to 245 parents (135 had gifted children). Descriptive analyses were performed, mean differences were calculated, and structural equation models (SEMs) were developed and tested. Results: Compared with parents in general, the parents of the gifted students reported more negative experiences (Cohen's d = 0.75; p < .01) and less social support from their friends (Cohen's d = 1.54; p < .01). Social support and stress partially mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and wellbeing. For parents of gifted students, there was partial mediation of social support through positive affect. Conclusions: Providing families with tools to promote their emotional intelligence and conducting awareness campaigns focused on understanding and supporting gifted groups will contribute to parents' well-being.