Life patterns, personality, and self-esteem in gifted family-oriented and career-committed women

The data were collected during 1969 and 1970. The sample consisted of 81 intellectually gifted women, including 29 homemakers, 25 married professionals with children, and 27 single professionals. The homemakers were women who had graduated with distinction from a high-ranking, large midwestern state university between 1945 and 1955. Both groups of professional women were on the faculty of the university the homemakers had attended.

The data collection instrument was a 41-page mailed, self-administered questionnaire. It included nine projective cues as well as numerous precoded and open-ended items addressing the following topics: early experiences; activities; attitudes; values; occupation; job satisfaction and difficulties; perceived future life satisfactions; and the effects of marriage, children, career, and menopause on a woman's life.

All computer-accessible and paper data are available.