‘GIFTED GIRLS’ INVISIBILITY IN SCHOOL: A DISCUSSION ON GENDER AND SELF-CONCEPT

Abstract

Despite their high cognitive potential, individuals with giftedness, especially girls, face difficulties in having their educational needs and their ways of being and interacting in the world validated. In this sense, the study aims to highlight the urgency of understanding and promoting changes in the conception of giftedness, incorporating discussions that address gender issues. It also reflects on how school experiences can influence how these girls construct their self-concept—the set of perceptions and ideas they have about themselves. To achieve this, a literature review was conducted, searching for academic works from the past five years on digital platforms such as the CAPES Portal of Journals and Theses and Dissertations Catalog, and the Public Medline (PubMed) database. This resulted in 11 scientific articles and 1 master’s thesis, focusing on four main themes: the educational context for giftedness, gender roles in the school environment, the challenges of being a gifted female student, and the influence of school experiences on the construction of self-concept. The study points out the scarcity of research on the topic and highlights the immediate need for changes in the understanding of GH/SD with a focus on the gender issue, as it confirms the under-identification of gifted girls compared to boys, in addition to signaling that the educational environment plays a crucial role in promoting or inhibiting the development of these girls' positive self-concept.