i 0 0 0 Socioemotional Factors Contributing to Ad justment Among Early-Entrance College Students Sheryl M. Caplan, Craig E. Henderson, John Henderson, and Donna L. Fleming University of North Texas A B S T R AC T This study investigates the influence of self-concept and perceived family environment on psychosocial adjustment among early-entrance college students. Participants included 104 male and 76 female juniors at the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS). Scholastic aptitude, previous academic achievement, and family environment were employed as latent independent variables. Self-concept, person- al adjustment to TAMS, and academic achievement at TAMS were the latent dependent variables of the study. A series of regression models was used to assess the predictive utility of independent measures. The final model indicated that a combination of self-con- cept and family environment variables was able to predict psychosocial adjustment. Specifically, family cohesion, conflict, and expressiveness and overall self- concept were predictive of adjustment to college as 4-neasured by the total score of the Student Adjustment to College Questionnaire. For TAMS students, family cohesion, organization, control, Col- flict, and overall self-concept were found to predict academic achievement as measured by first semester grade-point average. It is recommended that applicant self-concept should be considered when educating students about considering early entrance to college, making program decisions, and instituting retention strategies for early-entrance college programs. Historically, extraordinarily bright high school stu- dents have been served by enrichment-type programs, in which the classroom curriculum is supplemented for gift- ed students, or by acceleration, a strategy by which a stu- dent is permitted to engage in higher level schoolwork than his or her agemates. Academic acceleration can also include early entrance to college, a practice becoming increasingly common in the education of gifted students. In her review, Olszewski-Kubilius (1995) reported that 87% of colleges and universities accept students prior to high school graduation. In addition, several programs 11i il i I I .. i i I 1 by guest on April 21, 2016 gcq.sagepub.com Downloaded from