Pattern of Issues, Perceptions, and Experiences toward Guidance and Counseling Services among Gifted and Talented Students

This research was designed to examine the issues, perceptions, and experiences toward school guidance and counselling services among local gifted and talented students. This qualitative exploratory research was conducted on 30 students from the first and second cohorts of a particular ‘laboratory’ school which offers gifted and talented education program. The data – which was gathered from focus group and in-depth interview sessions – was thematically analysed using the Nvivo software, version 8.0 in order to deeply explore variables under study. The main finding shows that common issues shared among the participants were evolved around career, academics, and psychosocial dimensions. Hence, guidance and counseling services were often seeked to help them coping with these issues. Moreover, the participants were found to have mixed – positive and negative – perceptions and experiences toward guidance and counseling provision at school. Overall, findings of this research provide useful baseline information to guide the development of differentiated school guidance and counselling services for the local population of gifted and talented students.