Life assets in academically talented students : case study of the participants in International Mathematics and Science Olympaid 2013

Abstract

The aim of this study was to study life assets of academically talented students and also to investigate the relationship of personal information and life assets. Participants, obtained by purposive sampling, were 110 high school students who took part in the second workshop of the International Mathematics and Science Olympiad (2013). The participants completed two parts of a questionnaire i.e. 1) a demographic questionnaire: personal information and family background, 2) the Positive Model Survey Tool of Life Assets of Thai Children and Youth (Youth version). Afterwards, the data was analyzed. The Microsoft Excel program was used to calculate the life assets level according to the method developed by Team of Children and Youth Program. The additional information which was the relationship of personal information and life assets was examined by chi-square. The result suggested that an overall life assets level of the participants was moderate. A detailed examination of 5 facets indicated that 4 powers passed the criteria while one failed; namely, the sample possessed an excellent level of power of family. Further, a power of self level was found to be good. A level of two powers i.e. power of intelligence and power of peer and activities were moderate. However, a power of community level was low hence it was considered to fail the criteria. Relationship analyses suggested that gender and education level did not relate to any power of life assets. As for parents' marital status, it was found to be significantly related with power of self at the significance level of .001, with power of family, power of wisdom and power of peer & activity at the significance level of .05. However, no relation was found with power of community. This reflected that power of self and power of family were the strength of life assets of the participants. As for the power of wisdom, power of peer & activity and power of community, certain aspects should be improved, specifically extracurricular activities such as media, community wisdom, beneficial activities for public or volunteering as well as religious rituals and practices. Therefore, the author expected that concerned parties such as family, school and community would take notice of the situation and take part in creating necessary life assets for these adolescents.