Benchmarking Psychosocial Skills Important for Talent Development

Physical and technical attributes associated with on-water rowing performance in junior and elite rowers

On-water rowing performance consists of the integration of physical and technical attributes. This exploratory study aimed to describe key physical and technical variables for elite and junior rowers and examine the associations and predictive capacity of these variables with on-water rowing performance outcomes. Twenty-eight junior (16 females, 16 ± 0.8 years and 12 males, 17 ± 0.7 years) and 24 elite rowers (12 females, 24 ± 2.7 years and 12 males, 27 ± 2.6 years) completed an on-water, single sculling biomechanics assessment combined with a series of physical, strength and power tests. Elite men and women were superior in mean gate force, distance per stroke and recovery distance compared to junior groups as determined by independent t-tests and effect size appraisal (p < 0.017, d > 1.2). Large associations (p < 0.01) were evident between anthropometry, strength and power assessments with the on-water measures of catch angle, mean gate force, recovery distance and boat speed. Differences in ROM and flexibility attributes did not distinguish between elite and junior rowers. Linear discriminant analysis revealed that individual rowers can be appropriately categorised by sex and performance level based on their physical and technical attributes. This battery of testing with world-class athletes represents an excellent level of ecological validity for the assessment of rowers pertinent to on-water performance.

Attracting and developing STEMM talent toward excellence and innovation

This article provides an overview of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical sciences (STEMM) talent development from first exposure to a STEMM domain to achieving eminence and innovation. To this end, a resource-oriented model of STEMM talent development is proposed as a framework. It includes a three-stage phase model based on Bloom (1985), with the main focus on interest development in the first stage, skill acquisition toward expertise and excellence in the second stage, and style formation toward eminence and innovation in the final stage. A literature review shows that from an educational perspective, each phase is mainly characterized by the focus that Bloom postulated. However, it is important that all three stages (i.e., interest development, skill acquisition, and style formation) occur in a stage-typical manner. To explain how these primary objectives of STEMM development can be supported through STEMM talent education, Ziegler and Stoeger's (2011) educational and learning capital framework is used in the proposed resource-based model. A literature review shows that consistent provisioning of the resources specified in the model is necessary for individuals to complete a learning pathway to STEMM eminence and innovation.

The role of insider knowledge in the trajectories of highly accomplished scientists

Insider knowledge is critical information about how to achieve success that is not available to the general public but is relatively well-known to individuals within the domain and to those who have access to those individuals. The goal of this study was to examine the perceived role of insider knowledge in a sample of highly accomplished American professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We asked participants explicitly if insider knowledge had played a role in their talent development trajectory from K-12 education to their current creative work, with questions related to experiences at the undergraduate and graduate level and during their careers. The study was exploratory, so no formal hypotheses were put forward. Given the lack of research on the topic of insider knowledge as defined in this paper, we conducted semi-structured interviews with a select group of individuals who had successful careers in STEM fields, both to see if insider knowledge was something that they considered important and to see if they felt that insider knowledge had played a role in their educational and career trajectories. Our hope is that the results of this paper will inform future in-depth studies on the topic of insider knowledge.

Developing eminence in STEMM: An interview study with talent development and STEMM experts

In the present day, we need outstanding scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and medical science researchers more than ever to solve the world's most pressing issues, such as climate change, water contamination, and cyber security. Naturally, we ask the question: What does it take to develop eminence in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical science (STEMM)? To answer this question, we interviewed two relevant groups of experts: 14 talent development researchers and 14 STEMM experts. The interview questions were developed based on the theoretical framework of the Actiotope Model of Giftedness and the related educational and learning capital approach that differentiates five types of exogenous resources (educational capital) and five types of endogenous resources (learning capital) that feed into talent development toward eminence. The results show that all types of capital were regarded as important by the experts for developing eminence in STEMM. However, there were also differences. We describe the educational and learning capital that talent development researchers and STEMM experts considered to be important for talent development in STEMM, as well as the similarities and differences between the two groups.

What Was Not Said and What to Do About It

The Woo et al. review (this issue) provides a foundation for considering the larger goals of higher education. We step back to consider the broader goals and ideals of higher education. Fundamentally, we want to admit a diverse set of students into graduate school and then produce the most accomplished scientists, artists, leaders, and innovators. In a world with inequality in preparation and finite resources, these ideals end up in tension without any easy resolution. The inability to provide opportunities and develop talent across all groups up to early adulthood is the fundamental problem we face. It is tempting to ignore it. We would be delighted if test and grade differences could be easily dismissed. Instead, we know that a great deal of potential is being wasted, and this waste represents a terrible loss for individuals, communities, and society. We believe that the greatest change will come from better and expanded investment in expanded gifted-and-talented programs, increasing the flow of underrepresented students into these programs, greatly improved assessment of psychosocial skills and talents at all levels, and career counseling and mentoring that begins early and continues through higher education.

Mental skills in Serbian handball players: In relation to the position and gender of players

Objectives

Despite the potential link between mental skills and athletic performance, little is done to examine handball players’ present level of mental skills concerning their performance. To begin with, the study has three folded aims; the first one is to examine the factor structure of Bull’s Mental Skills Questionnaire, which was developed in the United Kingdom to measure selected mental skill, of Serbian athlete population. The second aim is to determine gender differences in those mental skills, and the third aim is to determine differences between the playing positions in the mental skills of handball players to create a mental profile of Serbian handball players.

Materials and methods

The sample consisted of 170 handball players, aged 14 to 39, who have played handball at the semi-elite, competitive-elite, and successful-elite level. The modified exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the latent dimensions of the Bull’s Mental Skills Questionnaire. For examining gender differences in the manifestation of mental skills Mann–Whitney U test was used.

Results

Compared to the original structure of the questionnaire, which singles out seven factors of mental skills (imagery ability, mental preparation, self-confidence, anxiety and worry management, concentration ability, relaxation ability, and motivation), five factors were singled out in the sample of Serbian male and female handball players (anxiety and concentration management—α = 0.74; self-confidence—α = 0.75; relaxation ability—α = 0.66; mental preparation—α = 0.68, and imagery ability—α = 0.66). With these five subscales as dependent variables, results of the Mann–Whitney U test show that there are significant gender differences in variable anxiety and concentration management (U = 2893.5, p = 0.049) and relaxation ability (U = 2833.0, p = 0.031). Female handball players score higher on anxiety and concentration management and lower on relaxation ability. When playing positions are in question, results of Kruskal–Wallis‘s one-way analysis of variance, i.e., Mann–Whitney’s post hoc analysis, suggest that statistically significant differences were observed between wings and center backs and wings and goalkeepers in the imagery ability.

Conclusion

The Bull’s Mental Skills Questionnaire in Serbian sample of handball players show satisfactory psychometric characteristics but has singled out five factors of mental skills compared to the original questionnaire.

Developmental Milestones as Early Indicators of Twice-Exceptionality

Twice-exceptional individuals are those who have high cognitive ability in one or more areas, but also have a diagnosed disability. The needs of these individuals likely differ from those with high cognitive ability without a disability and those who solely have a disability. Intervening early can offer exceptional benefits for twice-exceptional individuals, but this has proved challenging due to the high cognitive abilities masking disabilities. This study explores if parent-reported developmental milestones can predict the number of disabilities diagnosed for an individual, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Specific Learning Disorder (SLD). Using a clinical sample of about 1,300 individuals, we used a Bayesian cumulative logistic model to explore if developmental milestones can predict the number of diagnoses after controlling for IQ and age. Study results showed that when an individual began to count and read informed predictions for the number of future diagnoses in the clinical sample. Implications for future study and practitioners are discussed in further detail.

A Study From a Psychological Perspective of High Performance to Explore the Relationship Among Resource Bricolage, Social Capital, Entrepreneurial Attitude, and Intention

COVID-19 caused a serious increase in competition due to limited resources. Obviously, it influenced the entrepreneurs' motivation. The entrepreneurial intention, social capital, and resource bricolage ability of individuals were important issues. Thus, exploring an individual's mindset from a psychological perspective of high performance was the advanced issue to deal with social capital promotion. This study developed an instrument adapted from related scales that consisted of 27 items and four factors: social capital, entrepreneurial attitude, resource bricolage, and entrepreneurial intention. The data was collected through an online survey in China and Taiwan by purposive sampling. A total of 692 valid samples provided data for the statistical process. A multiple regression technique was employed in the data process. The instrument passed the validity and reliability test. Data analysis results showed that social capital can positively predict entrepreneurial attitude and entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, entrepreneurial attitude will affect entrepreneurial intention dramatically. Yet, resource bricolage ability has no moderating effect on social capital and entrepreneurial intention. In addition, resource bricolage ability plays a moderating role between entrepreneurial attitude and entrepreneurial intention. Moreover, it was found that participants demonstrated a high entrepreneurial intention when there was a high entrepreneurial attitude with high resource bricolage ability when the moderating effect was examined. In this study, some practical suggestions are provided for researchers, educators, and entrepreneurs.