Independence and the creative potential of gifted and exceptionally gifted boys

A 16-item questionnaire concerning independence and three divergent thinking tests were administered to three groups of preadolescent boys and their mothers as part of an ongoing longitudinal investigation of exceptional giftedness. The subjects included one group of exceptionally gifted boys with IQs in excess of 150 (n=28), a second group of exceptionally gifted boys selected for their math-science abilities (also well within the 99th percentile;n=26), and a control group of gifted boys (n=37), with a mean IQ of 133). The three groups were compared with one another in terms of (a) their own independence ratings, (b) their mothers' independence ratings, (c) correlations of boys' and mothers' independence ratings, and (d) correlations of independence ratings with IQ and scores from the divergent thinking tests. Results indicated significant differences among the three groups of mothers, and significant differences between the two exceptionally gifted groups and the control group. In addition, mothers' and subjects' independence scores were moderately correlated with IQ and divergent thinking test scores. These results are discussed and placed in the context of the longitudinal project of which they are a part.This research was supported by a grant to Dr. Albert by the Arthur D. and Catherine T. McArthur Foundation.Preliminary results from this investigation were presented at the meeting of the Hawaii Psychological Association in Honolulu, Hawaii, November 1985.Received Ph.D. from Boston University His research interests include long-term family involvement in giftedness and achievement of eminence.Received Ph.D. from the Claremont Graduate School His current interests include the psychometrics and family background of creativity and exceptionality.