The Impact of Bullying, Sociability, and Feelings on Gifted and Nongifted Middle School Female Students in Kuwait–A Comparative Study
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Jun 8, 2026
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0489-6046
Abstract
The current study aims to reveal the forms of school bullying among gifted and non-gifted female students in middle school, identify sociability and feelings between female students, levels of bullying and victimization, and the potential intervention and prevention strategies for preventing bullying behavior. To achieve the aims of the study, the researchers followed a comparative approach by applying a questionnaire to ninety-three gifted and non-gifted female students from eighth and ninth grades and conducting a personal interview with a social worker. One of the most important findings of the study is that gifted female students are less likely to be exposed to abuse and engage in bullying behaviors compared to their non-gifted counterparts. The results of the study also showed that gifted female students have higher levels of sociability and positive feelings towards school compared to non-gifted female students. These results underscore the pivotal role of socialization and feelings in cultivating a positive, inclusive, and socially supportive school culture, which effectively reduces the prevalence of bullying experiences among students. The results of the study also recommended adopting strategies for intervention and prevention of bullying behavior. Finally, the researchers proposed several future research directions.
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Keywords
BullyingGifted studentsNongifted studentsSociability
References
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Connolly, J. P. (2018). Exploring the factors influencing gifted adolescents' resistance to report experiences of cyberbullying behavior: Toward an improved understanding. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 41(2), 136–159. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353218763869
Dalosto, M. de, & Alencar, E. M. (2013). Manifestações e prevalência de bullyng Entre Alunos com Altas habilidades/superdotação. Revista Brasileira de Educação Especial, 19(3), 363–378. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1413-65382013000300005
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Espelage, D. L., & King, M. T. (2018). Bullying and the gifted. APA Handbook of Giftedness and Talent, 659–669. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000038-043
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MacFarlane, B., & Mina, K. (2018). Cyberbullying and the gifted: Considerations for social and emotional development. Gifted Child Today, 41(3), 130–135. https://doi.org/10.1177/1076217518768362
Ogurlu, U., & Sarıçam, H. (2018). Bullying, forgiveness and submissive behaviors in gifted students. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27(9), 2833–2843. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1138-9
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Pallant, J. (2013). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS. 4th edition. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
Peairs, K. F., Putallaz, M., & Costanzo, P. R. (2019). From A (aggression) to V (victimization): Peer status and adjustment among academically gifted students in early adolescence. Gifted Child Quarterly, 63(3), 185–200. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986219838973
Pelchar, T. K., & Bain, S. K. (2014). Bullying and victimization among gifted children in school-level transitions. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 37(4), 319–336. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353214552566
Peterson, J. S., & Ray, K. E. (2006a). Bullying and the gifted: Victims, perpetrators, prevalence, and effects. Gifted Child Quarterly, 50(2), 148–168. https://doi.org/10.1177/001698620605000206
Peterson, J. S., & Ray, K. E. (2006). Bullying among the gifted: The subjective experience. Gifted Child Quarterly, 50(3), 252–269. https://doi.org/10.1177/001698620605000305
Renzulli, J. S. (2002). Emerging conceptions of giftedness: Building a bridge to the New Century. Exceptionality, 10(2), 67–75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327035ex1002_2
Ryoo, J. H., Wang, C., Swearer, S. M., & Park, S. (2017). Investigation of transitions in bullying/victimization statuses of gifted and general education students. Exceptional Children, 83(4), 396–411. https://doi.org/10.1177/0014402917698500
Sabah AlAhmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity (2018). “Gifted classes program”. https://mawhoob.redsoft.org/info.aspx?tp=8
Sureda-Garcia, I., López-Penades, R., Rodríguez-Rodríguez , R., & Sureda-Negre, J. (2020). Cyberbullying and Internet Addiction in Gifted and Nongifted Teenagers. Gifted Child Quarterly, 64(3), 192–203. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986220919338
UNESCO. (2017). School violence and bullying: Global status report. Paris, France: UNESCO. Retrieved from: https://en.unesco.org/news/new-unesco-report-school-violence-and-bullying-bereleased-international-symposium-issue
V´ıllora, B., Larrañaga, E., Yubero, S., Alfaro, A., & Navarro, R. (2020). Relations among poly-bullying victimization, subjective well-being and resilience in a sample of late adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(2), 590. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17020590
Chen, C. C., Hamm, J. V., Farmer, T. W., Lambert, K., & Mehtaji, M. (2015). Exceptionality and peer victimization involvement in late childhood: Subtypes, stability, and social marginalization. Remedial and Special Education, 36(5), 312– 324. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932515579242
Cross, R. J.(2015). Gifted Children and Peer Relationships. School of Education book chapters. 20. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/educationbookchapters/20/
Connolly, J. P. (2018). Exploring the factors influencing gifted adolescents' resistance to report experiences of cyberbullying behavior: Toward an improved understanding. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 41(2), 136–159. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353218763869
Dalosto, M. de, & Alencar, E. M. (2013). Manifestações e prevalência de bullyng Entre Alunos com Altas habilidades/superdotação. Revista Brasileira de Educação Especial, 19(3), 363–378. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1413-65382013000300005
Erwin, J. (2015). Prevalence and impact of peer victimization among gifted adolescents. [Tesis Doctoral, University of California, Berkeley].
Espelage, D. L., & King, M. T. (2018). Bullying and the gifted. APA Handbook of Giftedness and Talent, 659–669. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000038-043
Estell, D. B., Farmer, T. W., Irvin, M. J., Crowther, A., Akos, P., & Boudah, D. J. (2009). Students with exceptionalities and the peer group context of bullying and victimization in late elementary school. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 18(2), 136–150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-008-9214-1
González-Cabrera, J., Tourón, J., Ortega-Barón, J., Montiel, I., & Machimbarrena, J. M. (2022). Are gifted students more victimized than nongifted students? A comparison in prevalence and relation to psychological variables in early adolescence. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 43(1), 90–109. https://doi.org/10.1177/02724316211058065
González-Cabrera, Tourón, Machimbarrena, Gutiérrez-Ortega, Álvarez-Bardón, & Garaigordobil. (2019). Cyberbullying in gifted students: Prevalence and psychological well-being in a Spanish sample. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(12), 2173. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16122173
Guilbault, K. M., & MacFarlane, B. (2021). Bullying. Critical Issues and Practices in Gifted Education, 75–87. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003233961-7
Jadambaa, A., Thomas, H. J., Scott, J. G., Graves, N., Brain, D., & Pacella, R. (2019). The contribution of bullying victimisation to the burden of anxiety and depressive disorders in Australia. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 29. https://doi.org/10.1017/s2045796019000489
Jumper, R. L. (2019). Communicating about bullying: Examining disclosure among gifted students. Gifted Education International, 35(2), 110–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429418824113
Lee, S.-Y., Olszewski-Kubilius, P., & Thomson, D. (2012). Academically gifted students’ perceived interpersonal competence and peer relationships. Gifted Child Quarterly, 56(2), 90–104. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986212442568
MacFarlane, B., & Mina, K. (2018). Cyberbullying and the gifted: Considerations for social and emotional development. Gifted Child Today, 41(3), 130–135. https://doi.org/10.1177/1076217518768362
Ogurlu, U., & Sarıçam, H. (2018). Bullying, forgiveness and submissive behaviors in gifted students. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27(9), 2833–2843. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1138-9
Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school: What we know and what we can do. Blackwell.
Pallant, J. (2013). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS. 4th edition. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
Peairs, K. F., Putallaz, M., & Costanzo, P. R. (2019). From A (aggression) to V (victimization): Peer status and adjustment among academically gifted students in early adolescence. Gifted Child Quarterly, 63(3), 185–200. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986219838973
Pelchar, T. K., & Bain, S. K. (2014). Bullying and victimization among gifted children in school-level transitions. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 37(4), 319–336. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353214552566
Peterson, J. S., & Ray, K. E. (2006a). Bullying and the gifted: Victims, perpetrators, prevalence, and effects. Gifted Child Quarterly, 50(2), 148–168. https://doi.org/10.1177/001698620605000206
Peterson, J. S., & Ray, K. E. (2006). Bullying among the gifted: The subjective experience. Gifted Child Quarterly, 50(3), 252–269. https://doi.org/10.1177/001698620605000305
Renzulli, J. S. (2002). Emerging conceptions of giftedness: Building a bridge to the New Century. Exceptionality, 10(2), 67–75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327035ex1002_2
Ryoo, J. H., Wang, C., Swearer, S. M., & Park, S. (2017). Investigation of transitions in bullying/victimization statuses of gifted and general education students. Exceptional Children, 83(4), 396–411. https://doi.org/10.1177/0014402917698500
Sabah AlAhmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity (2018). “Gifted classes program”. https://mawhoob.redsoft.org/info.aspx?tp=8
Sureda-Garcia, I., López-Penades, R., Rodríguez-Rodríguez , R., & Sureda-Negre, J. (2020). Cyberbullying and Internet Addiction in Gifted and Nongifted Teenagers. Gifted Child Quarterly, 64(3), 192–203. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986220919338
UNESCO. (2017). School violence and bullying: Global status report. Paris, France: UNESCO. Retrieved from: https://en.unesco.org/news/new-unesco-report-school-violence-and-bullying-bereleased-international-symposium-issue
V´ıllora, B., Larrañaga, E., Yubero, S., Alfaro, A., & Navarro, R. (2020). Relations among poly-bullying victimization, subjective well-being and resilience in a sample of late adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(2), 590. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17020590
How to Cite
Abbas, Zainab AbdulReda, and Hamed Jassim Alsahou. 2026. “The Impact of Bullying, Sociability, and Feelings on Gifted and Nongifted Middle School Female Students in Kuwait–A Comparative Study”. Journal of Educational Sciences – Qatar University 26 (1). https://doi.org/10.29117/jes.2026.0267.
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Articles in English