Trifocal Model
Developed by:
Sylvia B. Rimm
Theoretical Underpinnings:
Underachievement
Cause 1: The pressures of giftedness, low self-efficacy, the lack of resilience in competition.
Cause 2: Inappropriate classroom environment (low effort + high outcome / high effort + low outcome / low effort + low
outcome),
Cause 3: Inappropriate parentingstyle (Authoritarian / Permissive Indulgent)
Brief description of the model and/or its philosophy:
This model was designed to reverse and prevent underachievement. It was developed for both gifted students and children of all
ability levels and can be administered by teachers in school settings or counselors in clinic settings. The three key factors in this
model are the child, the home and school environments that surround the child. However, if the child in the program based on
this model does not have home support, the model can be adapted for the child by providing the child with a child advocate (e.g.,
counselor, gifted coordinator, orspecial education teacher), and this adaptation is referred to as the “bifocal” version of the
model.
Key elements,components, and/or non-negotiables:
Three key factors : child, home, and school.
Six steps : Assessment-Communication-Changing expectations-Identifying role models-Correcting deficiencies-Modifications at
home and school.
Intended applicationsfor the model (enrichment, pull-out, whole school,classroom, etc.):
Gifted program
Whole school
Classroom
Clinical setting
Intended Audiences:
Elementary, Middle, and High School
Relative strength and weaknesses:
Strengths:
Already has been implemented
Practicality--considering not only children but also environmental support
Comprehensive--easy to be adapted (bifocal version)
Flexibility
Weaknesses:
Few direct empirical studies
Resources required:
Assessments:
IQ tests
Achievement tests
Creativity tests (GIFT, GIFFI, PRIDE)
Parent report/Child self-report/Teacher observation
Communication topics
Tips for reading and writing anxieties
Sylvia B. Rimm
Theoretical Underpinnings:
Underachievement
Cause 1: The pressures of giftedness, low self-efficacy, the lack of resilience in competition.
Cause 2: Inappropriate classroom environment (low effort + high outcome / high effort + low outcome / low effort + low
outcome),
Cause 3: Inappropriate parentingstyle (Authoritarian / Permissive Indulgent)
Brief description of the model and/or its philosophy:
This model was designed to reverse and prevent underachievement. It was developed for both gifted students and children of all
ability levels and can be administered by teachers in school settings or counselors in clinic settings. The three key factors in this
model are the child, the home and school environments that surround the child. However, if the child in the program based on
this model does not have home support, the model can be adapted for the child by providing the child with a child advocate (e.g.,
counselor, gifted coordinator, orspecial education teacher), and this adaptation is referred to as the “bifocal” version of the
model.
Key elements,components, and/or non-negotiables:
Three key factors : child, home, and school.
Six steps : Assessment-Communication-Changing expectations-Identifying role models-Correcting deficiencies-Modifications at
home and school.
Intended applicationsfor the model (enrichment, pull-out, whole school,classroom, etc.):
Gifted program
Whole school
Classroom
Clinical setting
Intended Audiences:
Elementary, Middle, and High School
Relative strength and weaknesses:
Strengths:
Already has been implemented
Practicality--considering not only children but also environmental support
Comprehensive--easy to be adapted (bifocal version)
Flexibility
Weaknesses:
Few direct empirical studies
Resources required:
Assessments:
IQ tests
Achievement tests
Creativity tests (GIFT, GIFFI, PRIDE)
Parent report/Child self-report/Teacher observation
Communication topics
Tips for reading and writing anxieties