Teachers’ socio-emotional perceptions on gifted and average adolescents

The aim of this paper is to study the teachers’ perception on socioemotional competence of their adolescent students, according to exceptionality (high abilities versus non high abilities) and gender. The sample was composed of 443 teachers from 55 Secondary Schools in Murcia (Spain). The instrument used was the EQ-i: YV-O for teachers (BAR-ON & PARKER, in press). According to the exceptionality of the students (high abilities versus non high abilities) the results showed that teachers perceived students with high abilities as being more adaptable, having greater general mood and having greater interpersonal abilities. Moreover, in relation to gender, teachers scored boys as having better stress management. In addition, with regard to exceptionality (high abilities versus non high abilities) and gender, the results showed statistically significant differences in the adaptability, general mood, and intrapersonal dimensions.