Personality adjustment of college students as related to factors in personal history.

Abstract

f" I 'HREE hundred fifty-nine students were classified into I three groups on the basis of their scores on the Thurstone psyehoneurotie inventory-a well-adjusted group (N = 90) with inventory scores from 0 to 29, an average adjustment group (N = 115) with scores from 30 to 59, and a poorly-adjusted group (N = 154) with scores of 60 and above. Each group was asked to check three personal history questionnaires dealing with (1) familial relationships (62 items); (2) school, play, and subjective experience during the grade school period (67 items); and (3) the same experiences during the highschool period (67 items). Attempts were made to avoid common errors found associated with the questionnaire technique, by acquainting the student with them. In order to separate the students' opinions of desirable factors from the factors actually influencing his life, he was asked to check both. Only the latter are presented here. The percentages of students checking each item present in their histories were calculated for eaeh group. Critical ratios were computed for the differences between the extreme groups for all items on the three questionnaires. The items which significantly differentiated the two extreme groups with respect to adjustment were classified. The most significant of these are presented in Tables I, II and III. The data in these tables and the less significant but persistent trends in the other items of the questionnaire point i This study is a part of a larger program of research on concomitants of adjustment and maladjustment in college students. See: McKinney,

A Longitudinal Study of Social Behavior Variables in College Students

“…There are two questions associated with this: first, if there is this sort of drop followed by a rise, precisely where does the curve have its points of change; second, is the rise toward the end simply a quantitative recovery of the same sorts of behavior that were involved before, or are new and different, perhaps more mature, activities taking the places of the earlier ones? McKinney (8) has said that, during the late adolescent years, there is a marked shift in kinds of activities, from sports and boys' clubs to activities such as dates and dancing. Smith (9), in addition to reporting a falling off in activity level, found changes in the kinds of activities engaged in later on.…”

Affections and conventions.

“…On a background of inferiority feelings, the problem of masturbation, improper sex proposals, sex play, vivid sex thoughts, sex dreams, teasing by others about one's sex life, or any similar experience may be magnified until it reaches disturbing proportions. Of a group of college students who were studied, 33 per cent say that they have been afraid that they were inferior to most people sexually and 18 per cent admit strong feelings of sinfulness and guilt (7). The specific nature of these fears is probably that the individual feels that he differs from others in organic structure, strength of sex drive, sex habits, development, fertility, or morality; he may believe himself intrinsically very unattractive, or from inferior social stock, or believe that no one of the opposite sex could love him.…”

“…Many children in grade school talk of sweethearts and are jokingly encouraged or teased about attention from a member of the opposite sex of their own age. Forty-five per cent of college students say they had the experience of "puppy love" in grade school (7). There were probably more who had it but did not wish to admit it on a questionnaire.…”

Social adjustment.

“…There are several lines of evidence to show that those who have grown up with limited play and companions are less well adjusted than if they had experienced a normal play life [34][35][36]. All of us have noticed the difference in carriage, mannerisms, and attitudes of the student who has been one of the group most of his life and the student who has been "out of it."…”