Q-technique factor analysis as a vehicle to intensively study especially interesting people.

Thompson, Bruce

doi:10.1037/12079-002

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Another common problem for researchers studying giftedness is finding appropriate comparison groups (Thompson, 2010), particularly when it comes to measuring program effectiveness and efficiency. Whether warranted or not, participation in gifted programs is coveted; those who qualify are unlikely to be willing to participate in a control group (McCoach, 2010b).…”

Section: Central Methodological Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rethinking Giftedness and Gifted Education

Subotnik

Olszewski‐Kubilius²,

Worrell

2011

Psychol Sci Public Interest

793

476

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For nearly a century, scholars have sought to understand, measure, and explain giftedness. Succeeding theories and empirical investigations have often built on earlier work, complementing or sometimes clashing over conceptions of talent or contesting the mechanisms of talent development. Some have even suggested that giftedness itself is a misnomer, mistaken for the results of endless practice or social advantage. In surveying the landscape of current knowledge about giftedness and gifted education, this monograph will advance a set of interrelated arguments: The abilities of individuals do matter, particularly their abilities in specific talent domains; different talent domains have different developmental trajectories that vary as to when they start, peak, and end; and opportunities provided by society are crucial at every point in the talent-development process. We argue that society must strive to promote these opportunities but that individuals with talent also have some responsibility for their own growth and development. Furthermore, the research knowledge base indicates that psychosocial variables are determining influences in the successful development of talent. Finally, outstanding achievement or eminence ought to be the chief goal of gifted education. We assert that aspiring to fulfill one's talents and abilities in the form of transcendent creative contributions will lead to high levels of personal satisfaction and self-actualization as well as produce yet unimaginable scientific, aesthetic, and practical benefits to society. To frame our discussion, we propose a definition of giftedness that we intend to be comprehensive. Giftedness is the manifestation of performance that is clearly at the upper end of the distribution in a talent domain even relative to other high-functioning individuals in that domain. Further, giftedness can be viewed as developmental in that in the beginning stages, potential is the key variable; in later stages, achievement is the measure of giftedness; and in fully developed talents, eminence is the basis on which this label is granted. Psychosocial variables play an essential role in the manifestation of giftedness at every developmental stage. Both cognitive and psychosocial variables are malleable and need to be deliberately cultivated. Our goal here is to provide a definition that is useful across all domains of endeavor and acknowledges several perspectives about giftedness on which there is a fairly broad scientific consensus. Giftedness (a) reflects the values of society; (b) is typically manifested in actual outcomes, especially in adulthood; (c) is specific to domains of endeavor; (d) is the result of the coalescing of biological, pedagogical, psychological, and psychosocial factors; and (e) is relative not just to the ordinary (e.g., a child with exceptional art ability compared to peers) but to the extraordinary (e.g., an artist who revolutionizes a field of art). In this monograph, our goal is to review and summarize what we have learned about giftedness from the ...

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Section: Central Methodological Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rethinking Giftedness and Gifted Education

Subotnik

Olszewski‐Kubilius²,

Worrell

2011

Psychol Sci Public Interest

793

476

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…To characterize the ability profiles of children identified as gifted with the Aurora Battery, we analyzed the data using a Q-factor analysis technique, which has been previously suggested as a powerful descriptive statistical technique for the in-depth qualitative examination of gifted children (Thompson, 2010). The use of Q-factor analysis allowed us to investigate empirically distinguishable ability profiles in the sample.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gifted Identification With Aurora

Kornilov

Tan

Elliott

et al. 2011

Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment

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The current need to think globally over the long term has necessarily altered perspectives in education. Expectations for educational outcomes have increased over the last century for all students and, in many societies, diverse educational programs are available for those who are deemed to be particularly gifted. However, many children are likely to have intellectual gifts that are not easily revealed by the narrow range of cognitive and academic assessments typically employed by schools and, as a result, their abilities and potentials may remain unrealized. Who are these children and how can we best identify them? Assessment procedures designed for the identification of gifted students have become more refined in many cases, but there is an ever-present danger of having too narrow a perspective. This study demonstrates how an assessment approach based on a theory of intelligence encompassing multiple abilities may be useful in broadening the scope of conceptions and measures of giftedness.

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“…Q-methodology is best suited for the intensive study of a small group of people of which researchers wish to learn more (Thompson, 2010). Based on item to participant ratio recommendations by Thompson (2000), we identified a necessary sample size of 15 to 19 participants.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Q-sort design and content. A Q set represents a set of statements or values for participants to rank order (Thompson, 2010). In this study, we utilized three successive stages to develop a Q set that consisted of behaviors that parents may expect from play therapists (e.g., "Teaches me more effective parenting skills" or "Seeks to understand and addresses my specific concerns about my child").…”

Section: Instrumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child-centered play therapy parent services: A Q-methodological investigation.

Lee

2020

International Journal of Play Therapy

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A Q-methodology study was conducted to gain a better understanding of parents' needs and expectations in child-centered play therapy (CCPT). Parents completed a 40-item Q-sort, during which they sorted items on a continuum of least important to most important. Items included services and processes regarded by CCPT scholars and child therapy practitioners as being important to working with parents. Data were collected from 19 parents of children receiving CCPT services in a community-based counseling clinic. Eighteen parents reported similar beliefs regarding the processes they consider most and least important to their experience in working with child-centered play therapists. In general, parents' beliefs aligned with CCPT philosophy, particularly in regards to respecting children's natural pace of development and healing. Furthermore, parents shared preferences for play therapists who demonstrate expert knowledge and training and who understand the individual needs of their children. Discussion includes implications for the practice of CCPT, training of future play therapists, and future research, along with limitations of the study.

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Q-technique factor analysis as a vehicle to intensively study especially interesting people.

Cited by 9 publications

References 8 publications

Rethinking Giftedness and Gifted Education

Rethinking Giftedness and Gifted Education

Gifted Identification With Aurora

Child-centered play therapy parent services: A Q-methodological investigation.

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