Presentation for NAGC 2015 Conference on Hothousing gifted

1. Reducing Negative Effects of
Hothousing Gifted Children
Dr. Liz Fogarty
lizfogarty.weebly.com
fogartye@ecu.edu

2. Perfectionism
Parker (1997) reported three types of perfectionists: non-perfectionists, normal perfectionists, and neurotic
perfectionists.
Schuler (2000) studied those three types in middle school gifted children. She found that normal
perfectionists were more concerned with order and organization, whereas neurotic perfectionists are
focused on making sure everything is always correct, which can lead to continuous anxiety.
The main theme in the findings for normal perfectionists was order and organization. They used their
mistakes to work harder and improve while using their organization skills to avoid becoming stressed.
In contrast to normal perfectionists, neurotic perfectionists had a very high concern over mistakes
Normal perfectionists were more focused on doing their personal best regardless of getting a good grade.
Neurotic perfectionists differ from this because they believed getting good grades defines who they are
and was the basis of approval from others.

3. Children with Perfectionistic Parents
According to Ablard & Parker (1997), perfectionism in children is closely related to the perfectionistic
needs of their parents.
In Schuler’s study (2000), 75% of the students reported to having at least one perfectionistic parent, in
which they feel influenced them to also be a perfectionist. Of those students, the normal
perfectionists saw their parents’ perfectionism to be a positive characteristic, whereas the neurotic
perfectionists saw it to be negative.
In regards to the three types of perfectionists, children with performance goal parents were more likely
to be in the dysfunctional perfectionistic group than children with learning goal parents (Ablard et al.,
1997).

4. Perfectionism in Parents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-mkm1vJY3c
This video clip features Ryan who during the competition makes a careless mistake, according to his
mother.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGwpnIbca-
o&list=PLvAOsBfvt4jDvQl4jxevE0s0TMFnUb6OI&index=7
Katherine makes a mistake during the competition and her parents believe that her answer was correct.

5. Perfectionism in Kids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9KO0IZYu_I&list=PLvAOsBfvt4jDvQl4jxevE0s0TMFnUb6OI&index=1
2
Katie is a multi-talented child genius, who is a perfectionist in all she does.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPzY3-
1BXTk&list=PLvAOsBfvt4jDvQl4jxevE0s0TMFnUb6OI&index=16
Alexa is a math whiz who wants to be a cryptologist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGgti5VBJ-
w&list=PLvAOsBfvt4jDvQl4jxevE0s0TMFnUb6OI&index=22
Katherine strives for perfection in her life as her parents believe they must all be perfect.

6. Pressure to overstudy from the parents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dDkgDHSeVo
Ryan’s mother’s aggressive tactics for studying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp8_jiUXDI0
Ryan’s parents moved the whole family for Ryan to compete and they bribe his older brother to help him
study.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J4qn42V9Zw&list=PLvAOsBfvt4jDvQl4jxevE0s0TMFnUb6OI&index=
3
Ryan’s family is living in a hotel for the competition but things are tense when Ryan needs to study.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkFvYoJinN4&list=PLvAOsBfvt4jDvQl4jxevE0s0TMFnUb6OI&index=2
3

7. Profiles of hothousing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9j07fVR3qw&list=PLvAOsBfvt4jDvQl4jxevE0s0TMFnUb6OI&index=1
5
Extracurricular Activities also double as studying activities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJBRSrRYwmE&index=13&list=PLvAOsBfvt4jDvQl4jxevE0s0TMFnUb
6OI
The kids prepare for the spelling round of the competition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiry6efX16I&index=21&list=PLvAOsBfvt4jDvQl4jxevE0s0TMFnUb6OI
The children must memorize their hectic schedules and stay focused on their academics.

8. Noted Consequences of Being A Perfectionist
Schuler (2000) found interpersonal relationships, school life, and the future to
affect the children as consequences in her study.
Their relationships were affected based on how they carried their perfectionism
and how people around them perceived that behavior.
Normal perfectionists felt they held positive relationships with their parents
because they were alike, but neurotic perfectionists felt their relationships
were more unstable because of their parents’ high expectations and criticism.
Although the view on parent relationships differ, all except one of the
participants didn’t feel peer relationships were affected by their perfectionism
because their peers like them and view them as hard-working.

9. Noted Consequences of Being A Perfectionist
Two consequences were noted by the participants
pertaining to school life: their perceived role in the
classroom and their desire for intellectual challenge.
The students often felt responsible for others’ work in
groups and they didn’t like that, but their perfectionistic
characteristics (order, organization, neatness) wouldn’t let
them fail.

10. Noted Consequences of Being A Perfectionist
Many were frustration with the idea of group grades because they were
not working with peers of similar ability, which caused the workload to
not be fair.
Students were also frustrated with the idea of not being intellectually
challenged in school compared to what they felt they were capable of.
They felt they spent most of their time “making easy work perfect.”
The third consequence for students was their large focus on the future.
They were strongly focused on making good grades to achieve their
career goals.

11. How to help Hothoused kids
• Try to reach out to the parents if possible
• Help them find counseling whenever
possible
• Discuss or provide the child with resources
on perfectionism

12. References
Ablard, K. E., & Parker, W. D. (1997). Parents’ achievement goals and perfectionism in their academically talented children. Journal
of Youth and Adolescence, 26(6), 651-667.
Burts, D. C., Hart, C. H., Charlesworth, R., & Kirk, L. (1990). A comparison of frequencies of stress behaviors observed in
kindergarten children in classrooms with developmentally appropriate versus developmentally inappropriate instructional
practices. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 5(3), 407-423.
Chiu, M. L., Feldman, S. S., & Rosenthal, D. A. (1992). The influence of immigration on parental behavior and adolescent distress in
chinese families residing in two western nations. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 2(3), 205-239.
Hyson, M. C., Hirsch-Pasek, K., Rescorla, L., Cone, J., & Martell-Boinske, L. (1991). Ingredients of parental “pressure” in early
childhood. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 12(3), 347-365.
McArdle, S. (2009). Exploring the development of perfectionistic cognitions and self-beliefs. Cognitive Therapy and Research,
33(6), 597-614.
Schuler, P. A. (2000). Perfectionism and gifted adolescents. The Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 11(4), 183-196.