Gifted European American women

This article describes factors affecting the achievement of 15 highly accomplished European American women in the fields of business, higher education, and jaw and government. participants were nominated as gifted by national professional organizations in their respective fields. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews of the gifted women and telephone interviews with a parent or other relative. Research questions addressed childhood characteristics, contributions of major socializing agents, roles of social or institutional factors, and achievement strategies from a cultural-ecological perspective that examines these factors within participants' own and the dominant culture. Results corroborated findings of previous research on gifted women. Additionally, findings suggest that participants in this study tended to attribute their success to external factors while simultaneously employing proactive strategies to overcome potential barriers. Their achievement strategies were consistent with European American values as described in the literature and with women's experiences in a gendered society.