Psychological intensities in gifted adults

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated affective characteristics of academically gifted adults using two models: Clark's (1983) notion of concomitant problems and Dabrowski's (Piechowski, 1979) construct of overexcitabilities, concepts collectively referred to as "intensities." The population studied was adults who had demonstrated high academic achievement by successfully competing for admission to a doctoral program in Education. Thirty‐one doctoral students responded to a researcher‐developed questionnaire designed to measure intensity characteristics. A subset of 11 students participated in focus groups conducted to investigate qualitatively their perceptions of the concept of psychological intensities. Focus group data supported the constructs of intellectual and emotional overexcitabilities and concomitant problems. Factor analysis of questionnaire responses produced five factors. Subjects perceived themselves as different from typical persons on factors reflecting internal motivation, positive aspects of overexcitability, and need for recognition by others. Results supported empirical literature on gifted individuals' positive self‐perceptions as well as the applicability of the concept of psychological intensities to their lives.