While the concept of multipotentiality is often referred to in the giftedness literature, implicit and explicit definitions of the concept change from author to author. Additionally, few empirical studies have been done to provide support for the many anecdotal claims made about multipotentiality. The present nine-year follow-up study (N = 180) of gifted youth (mean age = 20.2 years) provides evidence that many gifted individuals may indeed be multipotentialed. The definition of multipotentiality ("the ability and desire to pursue different activities and goals") used to operationalize the concept was validated by six experts in the field. Degree of multipotentiality was found to be significantly related to SES, verbal IQ, variety of interests and abilities, participation in leisure activities, answer-seeking, attitude towards school, and several scores derived from the 1993/94 administration of the Strong Interest Inventory. Multipotentiality was not, however, found to be related to Holland's (1985) concepts of differentiation, consistency, or vocational identity. It thus appears that experience with activities and perhaps motivation to learn contribute to the phenomenon of multipotentiality. Little evidence was found to support the contention reported in the giftedness literature that multipotentiality leads to career indecision. Additionally, few career-related experiences were found to differentiate between more or less "successful" multipotentialed subjects, although those who scored highest on the Vocational Identity Scale were more active in their career deciding (prioritizing and focusing interests) and less likely to view career planning as a frustrating and on-going process. Direction of causality for all of the mentioned results is unknown, and many avenues for future research including nongifted subjects have been illuminated.

This study was designed to investigate the attitudes of academically gifted adolescents towards the development of their personal strengths or gifts and to compare these with the attitudes of age peers not identified as gifted. This study also examined the reported higher levels of moral reasoning in gifted adolescents compared to age peers and how this may relate to their development of academic potential. The 750 participants included 401 identified gifted students and 349 students not identified as gifted in Years 9, 10 and 11 from seven different high schools in the Sydney Metropolitan region. An instrument entitled the Development of Personal Strengths Questionnaire was developed to analyse students??? attitudes while the Defining Issues Test (Rest, 1986) was also administered to measure moral reasoning ability. Results showed that gifted students have significantly higher levels of acknowledgement of personal strengths and reasons for developing personal strengths, which reflect altruistic motivations. Gifted students scored significantly higher on altruism and philanthropy and showed significantly higher scores on the Defining Issues Test. Aspects of developing personal strengths, on which gifted students showed no significant difference from non-identified peers were in areas of motivation and responsibility for developing these strengths. A significant, but modest, connection was found between development of personal strengths and moral reasoning. Gender differences were also examined, with males reporting higher acknowledgement of personal strengths than females and females reporting higher levels on reasons for developing personal strengths as well as altruism and philanthropy. Females also showed significantly higher scores on the Defining Issues Test. These results were consistent within the gifted participant group. It was concluded that gifted students in this study were more likely to acknowledge their personal strengths or gifts and were more inclined to hold reasons for this development which related to higher levels of altruism, philanthropy and moral reasoning. These characteristics need to be taken into consideration in development of programs and provisions for gifted students, both now and in the future.

Thesis (doctoral)--Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität zu Münster, 1982. / Vita. Discography: p. 273. Includes bibliographical references (p. 274-286) and index.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Includes tables. Sponsor: Arno A. Bellack. Dissertation Committee: Frederick D. Kershner, Jr. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-182).

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1964. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Frank W. Cyr. Dissertation Committee: A. Harry Passow. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1931. / "Reprinted from Archives of psychology ... no. 129." Vita. Bibliography: p. [148]-150.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1930. / Vita. Published also as Teachers College, Columbia University, Contributions to education, no. 424. "This study is a continuation of the work of a joint committee ... for three years in charge of special opportunity classes for gifted children at Public School no. 165, Manhattan, New York City."--Introd. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. "Books which gifted group reported having read": p. 97-101. "Bibliographical references": p. 113-117.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisor: Richard R. Valencia. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1983. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-62).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1959. / Typescript. Abstracted in Dissertation abstracts, v. 20 (1959) no. 3, p. 957-958. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 229-233).