ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to outline recommendations for future research that both addresses current gaps in the literature and effectively situates the study of giftedness and perfectionism within the broader context of current perfectionism research. Perfectionism frequently emerges as a concern for parents, educators, and counselors of intellectually gifted students. Compared with studies examining the incidence and types of perfectionism among gifted students, relatively few studies have been conducted examining how perfectionism may actually develop. The social expectations model provides a framework for understanding perfectionism in gifted children. Support for the social reactions model can be found from existing literature on the development of perfectionism in gifted students. With the exception of culture, only a few research studies have examined other environmental factors that may influence perfectionism. With 1990s came a shift in conceptualization of perfectionism from a unidimensional to a multidimensional construct. The relationship among perfectionism, measures of psychological well-being, and achievement are gaining attention in field of gifted education.
