Families of Gifted Children in Taiwan: A Comparative Review of the Literature

Families have a tremendous influence on the development of gifted and talented children. In this paper we reviewed research conducted in Taiwan on families of gifted children and compared the findings to thosefrom studies conducted in the United States in five categories: family structure, family values, family relationships, family stressors related to giftedness, and relationships with other systems. Several cultural differences were highlighted by the review. For example, Taiwanese parents appeared more likely than American parents to attribute their children’s successes andfailures to effort, to control their children’s academic and career choices, and to value good grades and high scores on exams to the exclusion of other aspects of talent development. American parents, on the other hand, appeared more likely to advocate for more effective gifted programming on behalf of their children and to be more encouraging of the development of creative talents in their children. Implications of the review for research and practice with families of gifted and talented children in Taiwan are discussed.