ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the research on the affective characteristics and needs of gifted students, including those from Indigenous backgrounds, and considers ways that gifted students can be supported socially and emotionally across the lifespan. Perfectionism is often discussed in the gifted education literature as a common trait of gifted students. Relatedly, a social and emotional challenge for gifted children across the lifespan concerns making friends. By adolescence, this desire for social acceptance may lead gifted students to emphasise their sporting abilities over their academic abilities, or to otherwise downplay their intellectual gifts in the presence of peers. Beyond the role of social acceptance and peer relationships, the curricular and instructional environment provided by schools and teachers is an important influence on social and emotional outcomes for gifted students. Contrary to early assumptions, gifted students are not more likely than others to experience negative affective outcomes.
