Reversing and preventing academic underachievement in gifted students viewed through the lens of lived experience

The purpose of this research was to investigate the phenomenon of underachievement in gifted students. This research was viewed through the lens of lived experience and underpinned by Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Ecological Systems Theory which recognises the importance of linked systems in society. The research literature showed that underachievement was a prevalent issue for gifted students (Figg et al., 2012; Siegle, 2013) and that appropriate interventions needed to be in place to mitigate the disadvantage caused by underachievement. Factors that contributed to underachievement included inappropriate curriculum (Olenchak, 2001; Rimm & Lovance, 1992b), poor self-regulation (Baum et al., 1995a), and boredom (Bennett-Rappell & Northcote, 2016; Kanevsky & Keighley, 2003). Factors that reversed underachievement included appropriate curriculum (Baum et al., 1995a; Bennett-Rappell & Northcote, 2016), peer influence (Davis & Rimm, 2004; Gross, 2006; Hébert, 1998b) and a positive teacher connection (Coleman et al., 2015; Emerick, 1992; Grantham, 2004).