What Causes Gifted Children to Underachieve? There usually are complex causes, so it is important not to oversimplify the problem. Gifted children may not understand why they are underachieving. Usually school and home causes combine to set this pattern in motion. Possible School Causes Lack of challenge Too much or too little competition Conflicts with teachers Unidentified learning disabilities A move to a more or less difficult school Peer pressure Lack of opportunities to be creative Lack of structure or too much structure in the classroom Mismatch between students' learning preferences and intellectual strengths and the classroom strategies, expectation, and environment Possible Home Causes Conflict between parents Overprotectiveness by parents Overempowerment of children Too much or too little attention Health problems Sibling rivalry Feelings of pressure An anti-work attitude or overemphasis on work American National Association for Gifted Children
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