PROBLEM AND METHODPersonality assessment of gifted adolescents is significant for a t least two essential considerations: (a) to understand the concommitant personality variables of giftedness, and (b) to establish a base line from which to compare an individual gifted child presenting diagnostic problems relevant to emotional stability. Although the literature on gifted children is extensive, there are very little normative data(6) on personality characteristics as measured by standard, objective instruments, and virtually no personality descriptions regarding gifted adolescents who are also highly productive in academic and professional achievement. The number of very superior, high-performing adolescents is small, but represents a highly significan t minority.Each summer for the past four years, the authors have administered The Rotter lncomplele Sentence Blank (ISB), a measure of personality adjustment, t o the mathematically-gifted high school students attending the NSF-FSU Summer Math Camp. The camp, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and developed by Nichols@), each summer brings together from around the nation 30 or 40 adolescents who have demonstrated an exceptional level of proficiency in the first two years of high school math and generally high academic performance, as well as high performance on a national merit examination in mathematics. The six-week program, consisting of condensed exposure to higher mathematics, the Russian language and computer programming, allows sufficient free time for the staff of the Human Development Clinic of Florida State University to administer an extensive diagnostic battery. (3, 4 , These 130 high school sophomores and juniors, for the most part 1G or 17 years of age, demonstrate no clinically-evident psychopathology, but rather seem quite capable of dealing with the stresses which such an accelerated program presents. The 105 males and 25 females have a mean Stanford-Binet I& of 139, S D 7.6.
Twenty-two female 5s were divided into two groups, by means of a behavioral interview, on the basis of a relatively "good" or a relatively "poor" reported early relationship with their fathers. In a second interview over closed-circuit television, three measures were taken of S's interview behavior. The E and 5 were in two separate rooms, and communication was maintained by the television cameras and receivers. The two groups responded significantly different on two of the three measures. The data suggested that present behavior can be predicted by perceived early history variables and that the interview is both a reliable and valid technique for obtaining these data.In most clinical settings, the historical determinant of behavior is accepted unequivocally. Childhood experiences are sought and put to use in both diagnostic and therapeutic functions. However, a number of impressive papers in the literature have raised doubt as to the validity of "the child being the father of the man," to borrow from an old proverb. Schofield and Balian (1959) reported a surprising overlap of pathological events in the histories of schizophrenic patients when compared with a nonpsychiatric population. More recently, in a review article, Frank (196S) concluded from a survey of 40 years of research that no unique factors of family history were found to differentiate psychotics and neurotics from controls or from each other.Perhaps underlying objections to historical data is the more basic objection to the method by which they are obtained-the interview. Haggard, Brekstad, and Skard (1960) expressed doubts concerning the reliability of anamnestic data. They concluded that the interview was not particularly accurate and was more a reflection of the person's current perception of the past rather than ac-1 Now in private practice, Jackson, Mississippi. Requests for reprints should be sent to James R. Baugh, Suite 403 Medical Tower,
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.