Personality characteristics of ski instructors and predicting teacher effectiveness using the PRF

Normative data for the Personality Research Form (PRF) were collected from 118 ski instructors (40 female, 78 male). Subjects differed significantly from PRF norms on 17 scales (.0001 < or = p < or = .05), thus reiterating the need for caution when applying college-normed summary statistics to non-college populations. The efficacy of PRF scales as predictors of teaching effectiveness was also investigated. Three PRF scales (Abasement, Succorance and Sentience) were negatively correlated with increasing levels of teaching effectiveness. Univariate regressions yielded Abasement and Sentience scores as significant predictors of effective ski instruction.