We are an international  research group including members from different countries studying highly able/gifted adults in order they could be recognized, accepted and valorized.

We are used to immediately relate high ability/giftedness (HA/GT) to children or adolescents, but what happens when these people grow up?

Many authors claim there is not enough empirical research on gifted adults’ life and their needs (Vötter and Schnell, 2019a, 2019b; Alshehri, 2020; Vötter, 2020; Brown, 2021; Brown & Peterson, 2020, 2022). 

Then, a preliminary study was initiated in October 2021 by Dr. Pérez-Barrera at the Educational Sciences School of Universidad de la Empresa, a private university based at Montevideo, Uruguay. While analyzing the first 40-participants' data, other adults have asked to take part of the study; so, the deadline was then extended until March 2022, and the online form was sent to other researchers from Latin-America who invited the adults they have identified to take part of the study. 

Then, Dr. Jane Chagas Ferreira (Brazil) joined the project and both began analizing the data of the 103 gifted adults already identified or in an advanced stage of a qualitative identification process, aged from 18 through 71 years old, who have answered the 27-questions online form investigating their thoughts, fears and feelings. 

The preliminary results were presented at the 18th. ECHA Conference at The Hague, and then Andrée Therrien (Canada) joined the project and invited many other researchers. Together, we created the PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH GROUP to develop this project in different countries of Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. 

Currently, we are 46 researchers from 25 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Honk Kong China, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico, Nederlands, Peru, Saudi Arab, Slovenia, South Korea, Thailand, United States and Uruguay). 

After several meetings, the original Spanish questionnaire was enlarged, translated to over 13 different languages and adapted to every country.  

This qualitative/quantitative research aimed at investigating socioemotional aspects of highly able/gifted (HA/GT) adults - selfidentified, identified by other persons, formally identified or in an advanced process of identification.

We want to know: 

What happens when they were identified during adulthood?

Are there common aspects between or among adults from different countries?

Which are the diagnoses they received before being identified as HA/GT persons?

Are there differences between those adults identified during their infancy and those during adulthood?

Are there differences or communalities among genders?

Are there differences related to the socioeconomic background? 

Which are the feelings experienced after being identified?

Does HA/GT affect adults’ self-concept?

Although the questionnaire is anonymous an Inform Consent shall be signed before answering the questions which will take about 20-30 minutes to be answered.

The results of this cross-cultural study will allow comparisons and the verification of intra and intergroup differences bringing important information to understand, nurture and help adults to be recognized, accepted and valorized.

IF YOU ARE:

• OVER 18 YEARS OLD, 

• SELF-IDENTIFIED, IDENTIFIED BY OTHER PERSONS, FORMALLY IDENTIFIED OR UNDERGOING AN IDENTIFICATION PROCESS OF HIGH ABILITY/GIFTEDNESS, 

• WANT TO BE PART OF THIS STUDY AND RECEIVE THE RESULTS OF IT, 

• CONTACT THE RESPONSIBLE RESEARCHER IN YOUR COUNTRY TO RECEIVE THE ONLINE FORM. IF YOU DO NOT FIND YOUR COUNTRY IN THE COUNTRIES LIST, PLEASE CONTACT DR. SUSANA PÉREZ-BARRERA sperezbarrera@ude.edu.uy

• YOU CAN FIND CONTACT INFORMATION IN THIS WEBSITE AT THE "OUR RESEARCHERS" OR "COUNTRIES" PAGES.

THANK YOU!