ABSTRACT
Gifted adolescents who are particularly susceptible to stress may believe that they have significant obligations to others, that they have to be the best all of the time, that the world is a terrible place in which to live, that they deserve the best no matter what, or that they can do anything. Perfectionism can contribute to a workaholic mentality; a student will do so much more than what is required or even imagined, resulting in unnecessary anxiety, exhaustion, and even burnout. Depression is common in both typical and gifted adolescents, and there is conflicting research about whether or not it is more prevalent in gifted individuals. For many gifted kids, the missing link between potential and achievement is the lack of executive function skills. Mindfulness is a broad term encompassing a range of strategies for helping students learn to focus their attention and manage their brain, body, emotions, and behaviors.
