Abstract

PEREZ, Susana Graciela Pérez Barrera  and  FREITAS, Soraia Napoleão. A mulher com altas habilidades/superdotação: à procura de uma identidade. Rev. bras. educ. espec. [online]. 2012, vol.18, n.04, pp.677-694. ISSN 1413-6538.

This paper aims to revisit the history of two gifted women (47 and 50 years old) identified in adulthood who were still reluctant to recognize themselves as gifted persons. We considered that uncovering their life history would enable us to understand some of the reasons why the number of women identified as gifted is lower than men, why they fail to recognize themselves as gifted or why they hide their giftedness indicators and have trouble building their specific identity as gifted persons. This is a qualitative longitudinal case study. The research instruments were the QIIAHSD-Adult (Questionnaire to Identify Giftedness Indicators-Adults) applied on three separate occasions - 2008, 2009 and 2011 - and a semi-structured interview. We realized that, over the years, both participants have showed progressive acceptance of giftedness indicators after formal identification, as well as of their identity as gifted persons. Their answers revealed that they were building a positive identity as gifted women; the evidence for this is that many indicators not perceived in 2008 emerged in their discourse and attitudes in 2011. Part of this process is based upon contact and exchanges with gifted peers and increased discussion of the theme. Nevertheless, it is also clear that identification was a decisive factor in these women's acceptance and recognition of themselves as gifted. This evidence leads us to defend that, in addition to specialized educational services for gifted students, which are already assured by law, we should also think about specific strategies to nurture giftedness in women.

Keywords : Special Education; Giftedness; Women; Identity.

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