Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to examine the emotional characteristics related to gifted children's happiness, such as happiness index, optimism, psychological wellbeing, and school education happiness. For the study, 201 gifted students who were currently enrolled in gifted education centers, 124 potentially gifted students who were nominated by teachers for their scientific interests and high performances, and 141 general middle school students participated in the study. The results indicated that both the gifted and the potentially gifted students showed significantly higher emotional characteristics related to happiness compared to the general students. There was no significant difference between the gifted and the potentially gifted in the diverse aspects of happiness. Interestingly, significant interaction between gender and giftedness was found. Girls were happier when they were identified as the gifted, compared to the boys. Variables related to the happiness were also investigated, and the results indicated that the peer relationship and the family happiness were the most important variables that explained gifted children's happiness in general.
본 연구는 영재들의 행복에 관한 연구로 영재(201명), 잠재적 영재(124명), 일반 학생들(241명)의 행복지수, 낙관성과 심리적 안녕감, 학교교육 행복지수를 분석하고 행복관련 정서적 특성의 성별 차이를 살펴보았으며 학생들의 배경변인이 행복지수 및 관련 정서적 특성에 미치는 영향을 탐색해 보았다. 연구결과 전반적으로 영재와 잠재적영재가 일반학생에 비하여 행복지수, 낙관성, 심리적 안녕감, 학교교육 행복지수 등 행복관련 정서적 특성이 높은 것을 알 수 있었다. 행복관련 정서적특성에 나타난 성차를 살펴보면 선발된 영재집단의 경우 여학생들이, 잠재적 영재집단의 경우 남학생들이 더 높은 행복감을 느끼는 것으로 나타나 성별과 집단 간에 유의미한 상호작용이 존재했다. 행복관련 정서적 특성에 영향을 미치는 배경변인으로는 행복지수, 낙관성, 심리적 안넘감, 학교교육 행복지수 전반에 걸쳐 또래관계와 가정행복감이 가장 설명력이 큰 변인으로 도출되었다.