Original scientific paper
Perfectionism, Test Anxiety and Academic Self-Concept of Gifted High-School Students
Svjetlana KOLIĆ-VEHOVEC
Barbara RONČEVIĆ
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine whether intellectually
gifted high school students differ from their non-gifted peers
regarding academic achievement, perfectionism, test anxiety
and academic self-concept, and to establish significant
predictors of academic achievement. Second and third grade
students (N = 364) from two high schools in Rijeka were
participants in the study. Their intellectual abilities were tested
with an intelligence test (Kulenovi} & @ebec, 1998). Subjects
also completed an adapted version of Academic self-concept
questionnaire (Grgin & Lackovi}-Grgin, 1989a) and Test
anxiety scale (Koli}-Vehovec, 1988). An adapted version of
the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Frost et al., 1990)
was selected to measure perfectionism. Analysis indicated
that the scale measures four aspects of perfectionism:
Neurotic perfectionism, Organisation, Parental pressure and
Personal standards. The results showed that gifted high
school students did not accomplish higher academic
achievements than their non-gifted peers. There were no
differences between those two groups regarding
perfectionism and academic self-concept. However, gifted
students demonstrated lower levels of test anxiety.
Academically successful high school students, regardless of
giftedness, endorsed higher personal standards and
developed more positive general academic and scientific self-concept than less successful ones. None of the examined
variables is significantly related to academic achievement of
gifted students. Intellectual abilities and academic self-
-concept are significant predictors of academic achievement
of non-gifted students.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
19310
URI
Publication date:
31.10.2003.
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