Thu 18.09.2014 - 15:20-17:30 - Risba

Acceleration and Well-Being at Age 50 in the Top 1% in Mathematical Ability  Paper

Presenter: Stijn Smeets
Author(s): Stijn Smeets, (Center for the Study of Giftedness, Radboud University Nijmegen, ITS, The Netherlands), David Lubinski, (Vanderbilt University, USA), Camilla Benbow (Vanderbilt University, USA)

This study investigated the association of well-being at midlife in the top 1% in mathematical ability and skipping one or more grades in high school (study 1) and advanced and enriching pre-collegiate STEM learning opportunities beyond the norm in high school (study 2). Subjects scored in the top 1% in mathematical ability at or before age 13, and were followed-up at age 50. Outcomes included positive affect, negative affect, life satisfaction, psychological flourishing, career satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, core self-evaluations, and health at age 50. Confounding background covariates (including ability, SES, and motivation at age 13) were controlled for using (generalized) propensity score matching. Most well-being outcomes did not show any statistically significant differences between accelerants and non-accelerants; both groups reported positive well-being and good health. If differences were found, they favored the accelerants.