Personality profiles of gifted adolescents and relations with life satisfaction, perceived social support, and academic achievement

The person-centered typological approach to personality enables researchers to explore configurations of traits within individuals (i.e., personality types), and the ways these types are related to specific outcomes. The objectives of the present study were twofold: (1) to explore personality types or profiles among the sample of gifted adolescents, and (2) to examine the associations of these profiles with life satisfaction, perceived social support, and academic achievement. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) revealed four distinct profiles: Resilients, Averages, Overcontrollers, and Calm and Laidback Introverts. Resilients was the largest profile, representing more than half of the sample. Students belonging to this group had a favorable pattern of personality traits and scored highest on life satisfaction. Resilients also had high perceived social support and academic achievement.