ULOGA PORODICE U RAZVOJU DAROVITOSTI – PORODIČNA PODRŠKA/STIMULACIJA I PORODIČNA KOHEZIVNOST/ADAPTABILNOST

Abstract

Contemporary conceptions of giftedness have pointed out that giftedness is a dynamic phe­nomenon which should be considered in relation to the enviromental context. Among the environ­mental factors, the greatest attention is paid to the family of a gifted child, which is considered as an the essential context for the development of giftedness. This paper examines the role of the family support and stimulation, as well as the family cohesiveness and flexibility, in the implem­etation of high potentials. Many studies on relations between the family support/stimulation and development of giftedness suggest that „complex families“ are the most stimulating environment. This type of families keeps a balance between integration (emotional support) and differentiation (intellectual stimulation). However, a significant body of empirical evidence testifies that gifted individuals often grew up in a situation of poor family support and disharmonious family relations, which suggest a low placement of these families on the dimension of integration. The contradic­tion of these findings can be successfully overcomed if giftedness is considered in the context of a specific domain of its manifestation. Studies on relations between the family cohesion/adaptability and development of giftedness generate even more confusion. Namely, results in this segment suggest important corelation between the family cohesion/flexibility and talent development on one hand, and the equal prominence of these characteristics in families with gifted and average child, on the other hand. In addition, these research do not provide unambiguous answers about the optimal levels of the family cohesion/adaptability in the development of talent, which was precisely elaborated in many theoretical modeles. Therefore, attempts to generalize the findings in this segment are more speculative and may be considered as guidelines for future research on the role of the family cohesion/adaptability in the conversion of outstanding potential.