ABSTRACT
Since Callahan’s ground-breaking work (1979) on the special needs of gifted girls and women, researchers and journalists have explored the complex and diverse paths that gifted girls and women travel, the barriers they face and sometimes overcome, and the critical choices and decisions they make over time. There is no one profile of this diverse group of individuals who follow unique paths to develop their talents, as many face multiple challenges and only some actualize their potential. Their development usually occurs over decades, as life experiences interact with abilities to prepare them for subsequent life accomplishments.
