Boys vs Girls?

Drs. Frank Falk and Nancy Miller of the University of Akron, and Dr. Karen Rogers of the University of St. Thomas, has found more than 670 children above 160 IQ and have entered massive data on 241 cases-the largest sample in this IQ range ever to be studied! Here are some of the highlights of what they have found so far.

There are far more exceptionally gifted children in the population than anyone realizes.

More boys than girls are referred for assessment for giftedness, and the situation is getting worse, instead of better. From 1979 to 1989, 57% of the children assessed were male, and 43% were female. From 1989 to 2002, 61% of those referred have been male and 39% female. This matches closely the percentages of males and females found in the highest IQ ranges: 60% male, 40% female. And the most gifted girls are less often referred in the last 12 years than in the previous ten years. In the first decade, the number of profoundly gifted girls nearly equaled the number of boys, even in the 180+ IQ range. In the second decade, many more profoundly gifted boys than girls are being brought for assessment. Where are the girls?

Gifted girls and gifted boys have different coping mechanisms and are likely to face different problems. Gifted girls hide their abilities and learn to blend in with other children. In elementary school they direct their mental energies into developing social relationships; in junior high school they are valued for their appearance and sociability rather than for their intelligence. Gifted boys are easier to spot, but they are often considered "immature" and may be held back in school if they cannot socialize with children their own age with whom they have no common interests.