Behavioral and fantasy measures of fear of success in children.

Fear of success was assessed for 61 fifth-, seventh-, and ninth-grade children using Horner's and Baruch's "fantasy" measures and a behavioral measure developed by the authors. Males and females did not differ significantly on fear of success as measured by the fantasy technique. Developmentally, male fear of success remained unchanged in the three grades tested, while female fear of success decreased from grade 5 to grade 7. The behavioral measure of fear of success tapped a drop in achievement striving in grade 7 for the female subjects. Results are discussed in light of a "situational" versus personality theory of the development of fear of success.