The Influence of the Family Environment on the Development of Talent: A Literature Review

Abstract

This paper reviews the literature on the families of gifted and talented individuals for purposes of determining the importance of several broad areas in the talent development process. These are the structural or demographic characteristics of the family, family climate or family environment, values espoused by parents, and values enacted by parents. Family climate variables are found to distinguish between individuals who evidence creative achievement versus those who evidence academic achievement. While structural and demographic variables may mirror psychological processes within the family that influence the role of gifted children and interaction patterns with family members, success may be the result of numerous forces. Further research linking the values of parents with child-rearing practices and later child outcomes is clearly indicated.