The California Psychological Inventory (CPI) was administered to 54 exceptionally gifted (either high IQ's or high math science abilities) preadolescents and their parents. The profiles and factor structure of the 18 CPI scales were examined. The profiles of the parents were relatively even, suggesting that they are intellectually and socially…

This on-going qualitative multiple case study is examining K. Dabrowski's ideas concerning psychic overexcitability in gifted children, by describing the overexcitabilities exhibited by five young gifted children. The five children, ages 3 and 4, attend a private school for gifted children and were purposely selected to provide examples of the…

Research indicates that children possess four important personality characteristics and abilities which define them as resilient. These characteristics and abilities are social competence, problem solving skills, autonomy, and a sense of purpose and future. In addition, several qualities of the environment of resilient youth tend to predict…

Resilience is the ability to thrive, mature, and increase competence in the face of adverse circumstances. Recent research has uncovered personal and environmental characteristics that contribute to resilience during infancy and toddlerhood, as well as characteristics that predict resilience in later years. Resilient infants and toddlers are…

This two-part study examined aspects of family environments that are considered to be influential in the development of young children's creativity. Mothers of children ages 4 to 6 years were surveyed on their valuing of particular personality characteristics (The Ideal Child Checklist) and specific features of the home environment (The Creative…

The effect of maternal personality characteristics and interaction behavior on interventions with children was investigated among 210 Puerto Rican mother/child dyads of low socioeconomic status. Mothers' and children's personality characteristics were assessed according to numerous and varied paper-and-pencil tests. Measures of children's…

Nomological studies have most often been conducted between networks rather than within networks of variables. To continue the series of within-network nomological research into the construct of self-concept, different self-scales descriptive of academic settings were completed by 1.852 students in grades one through twelve. The students seemed…

Psychological studies on personality characteristics obtained from individuals prior to being diagnosed as alcoholics are reviewed. Retrospective studies suggesting an association between childhood anti-social behavior and the subsequent problem of alcoholism are presented, supported by studies of the personality inventories of college students…

This longitudinal study examined consistency and change in human personality. Rather than studying the consistency of individual differences over time, an approach which considers only the stability of a variable at the group level and ignores differences in stability at an individual level, this study used a person-centered approach to study…

Present research on adolescent suicide prevention is based on the possibility that there is a continuum of self-destructive behaviors which develops throughout life. Through personal interviews and written questionnaires, this case study examines family perceptions of the suicidal child's behavior at different ages. Subjects were randomly chosen…

Research on role-model identification has demonstrated the powerful effect that models have on individuals' behavior. To extend prior research on this phenomenon, the role-model identifications of first-, third-, fifth-, and ninth-grade students were outlined and examined. The results did not support the hypothesis that adolescents identify with…

This report describes an ongoing longitudinal study in Kauai (Hawaii) begun in 1955, which is following the course of all births to adulthood and assessing the long-term consequences of perinatal complications and adverse child-rearing conditions. Specifically reported is a subset of data on 22 children (diagnosed as having learning disabilities…

This report examines the development of Conduct Disorder (CD) in children and adolescents from the perspective of Hans Eysenck's bio-social theory of personality. The theory views personality as a product of the interaction of temperament and socialization. Eysenck's three-factor model of personality is comprised of Extroversion (E), Neuroticism…

A study was based on retrospective descriptions obtained from interviews with a large number of teachers who have taught for over 20 years. Three areas of change in students were consistently noted in the descriptions: children today know more, are freer, and grow up more rapidly. More autonomous, and armed with greater knowledge, children emerge…

This longitudinal study used repeated measures analysis of variance (RM ANOVA) and latent growth curve modeling to examine behavior change in 228 elementary school students over grades 1, 2, and 3 who varied in risk status. Of particular interest were the developmental trajectories for behaviors along four dimensions as rated yearly by teachers on…