Identifying stressors and reactions to stressors in gifted and non-gifted students

Using the Student Life Stress Inventory and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, stressors and reactions to stressors were identified in gifted high school students and compared with non-gifted students. Altogether, 340 boys and girls (156 gifted and 184 non-gifted students) from four high schools in Shiraz (two high schools for gifted and two for non-gifted students) took part. Although there was no significant difference between gifted and non-gifted students in stressors, gifted students showed significantly more cognitive reactions to stressors. Boys had higher scores in frustration than girls, but their scores on emotional reactions were lower than those of the girls. There was an interaction between sex and type of student (gifted versus non-gifted). Moreover, there was a significant negative relationship between father's education and the experience of frustration in gifted students. Finally, the gifted students showed significantly higher self-esteem than the non-gifted.