Identification of Gifted Underachievers and Exploring Factors Responsible for their Underachievement

The main focus of this study was to identify gifted students who were underachievers also. The study was conducted on three gifted underachievers in order to know the reason for their underachievement. Case studies were done in order to explore the causes behind their underachievement. For this purpose, the interviews were conducted by asking open ended questions from students, parents and their teachers. Observation technique was also used to explore the causes. The researcher examined the family, school and individual factors which contributed for their underachievement. For one case, the school factors were the major reason for his underachievement. Individual factors of over excitability, mismanagement of time and family factors of lack of parental support in studies were the leading factors for second case. For third case, parents were less involved in her education; they invested very little in their child's upbringing but expected a lot from her. They followed the authoritarian parenting style. Less positive student teacher relation was also observed. Also, the classroom environment was not supportive. She perceived the curriculum very easy.