Many have observed the increasing severity of mental distress among college students over the past several decades. Very little, however, has been said about what has contributed to this increase. The purpose of this opinion piece is to highlight a trend that the author has witnessed as director of a university counseling center and social justice…

Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration (K. Dabrowski, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1973) has been the subject of a number of research projects in the gifted field over the past 20 or so years. Most of this research has focused on Dabrowski's idea of overexcitability and has not discussed the broader context or implications of his theory or…

Presents a restatement of the three basic constructs of "language ego,""language ego boundaries," and "permeability of language ego boundaries," discusses interdisciplinary "borrowing" of constructs, and examines the question of theory validation. (Author/AM)

The first section of this monograph shows how, by analyzing the language of personality descriptors, researchers have identified five correlated groups of behaviors. It finds that the most popular formulation of the Five-Factor Model (FFM) is that of Costa and McCrae (1992) and that their nomenclature can be adapted to come up with a version for…

This paper describes guiding principles of educational reform founded upon character education. The signatories of the declaration recognize the following precepts for character education: (1) Education in its fullest sense is inescapably a moral enterprise; (2) We strongly affirm parents as the primary moral educators of their children and…

Children need to acquire the qualities of determination, carefulness, concentration, self-restraint, patience, conscientiousness, and endurance. These aspects of personal capability are important to the moral life in schools and thus should be part of their ethos. They must be modeled by teachers as ways to overcome and avoid difficulties. (VM)

The concept of "learning disposition" provides a useful way of examining longer-term outcomes of quality early childhood programs and outlines characteristics of a learning orientation or disposition in early childhood. The learning disposition involves the tendency to want to do something, sensitivity to being alert to the appropriate…

The concept of autonomous identity, derived from Piaget's theory of personality, is distinguished from other applications of the term "autonomy" in psychological theory. Introductory comments suggest that both biological and mental development express autonomy in the same two senses: as self-regulating and progressively self-liberating.…

Identity is the complex way a person identifies with, and is identified by, his environment. Multiple identities result from the many ways a person has been successfully identified. Identities coexist; sometimes the dominance of one over others becomes evident, and a vertical structure of identities arises. (CS)

Discusses the role of temperamental individuality in the school setting and focuses on the importance of temperament for children's adjustment in school. (HOD)

Noting that characteristics such as attachment, honesty, self control, sportsmanship, generosity, and courage may be nurtured or thwarted by parents, teachers, or society, this book examines the roots of male character from birth to late adolescence. It maintains that particular intrinsic biological drives combine with parenting styles and…

Argues that, of the authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative styles of interaction with children, the latter nurtures the emergence of positive character traits in young children. Suggests listening, setting high and reasonable standards, explaining why, negotiating reasonable solutions, offering choices, and valuing ideas and opinions as…