Peer Support

The quality of students’ relationships with their peers plays an important role in developing their academic achievement. The present study aimed at constructing an accurate, reliable, and valid instrument that could assess the EFL students’ perceptions of peer support. The instrument includes different subscales, namely Informational Support, Emotional Support, Instrumental Support, Feedback, and Companionship Support. The Peer Support Questionnaire was administered to 212 Iranian undergraduate EFL students studying at two public universities in Iran. An exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis were conducted, and the overall factor loading estimates indicated a quite satisfactory level of convergent validity for the developed Questionnaire. Both the degree of factor loadings and the construct validity test supported the convergent validity of peer support factors and their related items. The findings demonstrated that PSQ could be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the concept of peer support in both academic and educational settings.

This study aims to explore the impact of social support networks on the mental health of gifted students. The study utilized a qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach to capture the lived experiences of gifted students. Twenty-seven participants aged 12 to 18 were recruited from diverse educational settings through purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, which provided in-depth insights into the participants' perceptions of social support and its impact on their mental health. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically, with themes emerging through iterative coding and constant comparison until theoretical saturation was achieved. The findings revealed that emotional, academic, and peer support are critical for the mental health of gifted students. Family support, characterized by parental encouragement and emotional reassurance, and peer support, through empathetic friendships and social inclusion, were particularly significant. Teacher support also played a crucial role in addressing both academic and emotional needs. However, several barriers to support were identified, including stigma, lack of resources, overemphasis on achievement, peer competition, and reluctance to seek help. These barriers exacerbate feelings of isolation and stress, impacting the overall well-being of gifted students. Social support networks are essential in mitigating the challenges faced by gifted students and promoting their mental health. Creating inclusive and supportive environments in educational settings, addressing barriers, and providing targeted interventions can enhance the well-being of gifted individuals. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies and the intersectionality of giftedness with other demographic factors to develop comprehensive support strategies.