4.3.7 Influence of a Mentoring Program on Gifted Girls' Social, Emotional, and Academic Development

Research evidence highlights the significance of mentorships with gifted students, increasing their academic performance, social adjustment and self-esteem whilst providing intellectual stimulation, psychosocial and career support. Gifted girls’ beliefs in their ability and feelings of self-confidence diminish from childhood to early adolescence, seeing them hide their potential to better fit in with their peers. Whilst gifted girls have been found to fixate on avoiding mistakes and working to please others rather themselves, characteristics of perfectionism are demonstrated both positive and negative. Previous studies have predominantly focussed on year-long mentoring experiences with content experts, for gifted students in high school. The focus of this research is on gifted girls in upper primary.

Participatory Action Research was undertaken, to understand how the influence of a mentoring program, with positive psychology strategies embedded, affects 10 and 11-year-old gifted girls’ development in three domains: academic, social and emotional. At an independent school in Western Australia, twenty-one gifted girls from Years 5 and 6 participated in a mentoring programme over two terms of the school year. The girls in Year 6, participated in the programme two years in a row, for Year 5 and Year 6. The girls in Year 5 participated in the programme for one year. Mentors participating in the mentoring programme were alumni from the School.

Qualitative data was collected to allow for the exploration of key themes that emerge through participants’ questionnaire responses, with the opportunity to delve deeper into specific topics through semi-structured interviews with a focus group of students. Quantitative data was collected in the second year of the programme through pre- and post-testing using the Flourishing Scale and Flow Experience Questionnaire. Triangulation of the data occurred through qualitative questionnaires completed by the mentors and parents of the girls on conclusion of the programme, as well as a semi-structured interview with the Director of the School’s social and emotional programme. The programme demonstrated positive developments in each girls’ self-efficacy and self-concept, with growth in each domain. Key findings demonstrated social relationships growing and strengthening between like-minded mentees, and mentees and mentors. The increase in all domains lead to a positive increase in mentees’ affective and cognitive development where they could be deemed, in a state of flow, which, in turn, leads to the ultimate goals of flourishing gifted girls. Limitations of the study will be addressed along with suggestions for further research.

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