A Multiple Method Longitudinal Study of Gifted Adolescents - Communication of and about Ostracism and Social Exclusion

Aug 24, 2026

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Ostracism is a subtle communicative phenomenon that makes others feel ignored, rejected, and left out, functioning as social rejection that is often less visible than bullying but intensely painful. During adolescence, it can be especially devastating due to the strong need for belonging, and intellectually gifted adolescents may face added peer-acceptance challenges from advanced intellect and asynchronous development. Using a social construction perspective, the dissertation examines gifted adolescents’ experiences of ostracism and social exclusion as targets, sources, and observers, drawing on journal-based accounts and theoretical scaffolding.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages413

Reading Time17 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Research perspective and participant study design

Theoretical frameworks and model of ostracism

Social objectives and process levels of ostracism

Coping strategies and transformative potential

Study impact and implications

A Multiple Method Longitudinal Study of Gifted Adolescents’Communication of and about Ostracism and Social Exclusion A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Scripps College of Communication of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Catherine M. Striley December 2014 © 2014 Catherine M. Striley. All Rights Reserved. This dissertation titled A Multiple Method Longitudinal Study of Gifted Adolescents’Communication of and about Ostracism and Social Exclusion by CATHERINE M. STRILEY has been approved for the School of Communication Studies and the Scripps College of Communication by Austin S. Babrow Professor of Communication Studies Scott Titsworth Dean, Scripps College of Communication Abstract STRILEY, CATHERINE M., Ph.D., December 2014, Communication Studies A Multiple Method Longitudinal Study of Gifted Adolescents’Communication of and about Ostracism and Social Exclusion Director of Dissertation: Austin S. Babrow Ostracism is a subtle communicative phenomenon that leaves others feeling ignored, rejected, and left out. Through acts of ostracism, we create the human, alone: the marginalized, stigmatized, and rejected other. Ostracism is a form of social rejection less visible than bullying and harassment, but deeply painful. Ostracism during adolescence can be particularly devastating because of the strong need for group belonging in childhood. Intellectually gifted adolescent might experience additional challenges to peer acceptance due to their advanced intellect and asynchronous development. The current dissertation project takes a social construction perspective to investigate intellectually gifted adolescents’ experiences of ostracism and social exclusion. I invited 45 gifted adolescents, ages 10-18, to keep an electronic journal for at least a month about their experiences as targets, sources, and observers of ostracism. I used the theoretical frameworks of coordinated management of meaning and problematic integration theory to provide scaffolding for a model of ostracism. In Chapter Three, I discuss the dual privileged and marginalized status of my participants. In Chapter Four, I discuss six social objectives of ostracism: ostracism is used to defer dealing with difference, (re)produces power, punish others for transgressions, define our groups, protect us from harm, and avoid awkward interactions. In chapter Five, I describe ostracism processes. Micro-level processes include passive, active, and aggressive ostracism acts –utterances at one moment in time that communicate exile. Meso-level processes involve ostracism practices –patterns of interaction resulting in ostracism. These include total ostracism practices where the target of ostracism is completely ignored, partial ostracism with additional rejection (POR) practices where the target sometimes is ignored and sometimes bullied, and partial ostracism with inclusion (POI) practices where the target sometimes is ignored and sometimes included. Macrolevel processes include ostracism episodes –habituated ostracism routines. These fall on a continuum from ritualistic ostracism episodes –well-known and rehearsed routines, to enigmatic ostracism episodes –improvised and ambiguous routines. In Chapter Six, I discuss participants’ coping strategies for surviving ostracism, including cognitive and behavioral responses, acceptance and resistance responses, and anti-social and pro-social responses. Additionally, I describe the transformative potential ostracism held for some participants as it helped them to find motivation, gain deeper insights, recognize alternate possibilities, find radical freedom, and accept themselves. Finally, in Chapter Seven, I discuss the study’s impact on participants and implications of findings. Dedication I dedicate this dissertation to my participants. Thankyou for sharing a moment ofyour life with me. Acknowledgments I hav

FAQs

What is ostracism and why is it impactful during adolescence?

Ostracism is a subtle communicative form of social rejection that leaves others feeling ignored, rejected, and left out. It can be particularly devastating in adolescence because group belonging needs are especially strong.

How does the dissertation study gifted adolescents’ experiences with ostracism?

The study invites 45 gifted adolescents aged 10–18 to keep an electronic journal for at least a month about their experiences as targets, sources, and observers. It then analyzes these accounts through a model scaffolded by relevant theoretical frameworks.

What kinds of ostracism processes and coping strategies are discussed?

The dissertation distinguishes micro-, meso-, and macro-level ostracism processes, including passive, active, and aggressive acts, ostracism practices, and habituated episodes. It also covers coping strategies such as cognitive and behavioral responses, acceptance and resistance, and anti-social and pro-social reactions, including transformative potential for some participants.

Aug 24, 2026

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