Giftedness, Adjustment Problems, and Psychological Distress among Chinese Secondary Students in Hong Kong

Abstract

This study explored the relationships among giftedness, adjustment problems, and psychological distress in a sample of 215 Chinese junior secondary school students in Hong Kong. These students, nominated by their schools to join the university gifted programs, were assessed on their giftedness as reflected in scores of nonverbal reasoning and divergent thinking, on their adjustment problems in 6 areas, and on their psychological distress in terms of 5 specific symptom areas. The findings indicated that divergent thinking, unlike nonverbal reasoning, had a notable influence on specific psychological symptoms. Students' concerns with interpersonal relationships, as well as the recognition of their abilities, and their concerns for being different emerged as the 2 most important adjustment problems predicting specific psychological symptoms. The implications of the findings for preventive interventions to help gifted students in the promotion of their psychological well-being are discussed.