Tracing problems observed among the Mountain-Plains student population, a trend of apparently improper or arrested personality development emerges. Observations indicate that a majority of the student population does not possess normally developed trust, autonomy, initiative, industry, sense of identity, or ability to develop intimate relationships, nor have most (in any way other than in production of children) engaged in generativity. In order to test these observations, the entering student population from summer 1973 to spring 1974, all of whom were young adult family members of average intelligence and defined as rural disadvantaged, were administered two instruments designed to measure personality traits and the basic constructs of self-actualization. The students' test results were compared with adult norms selected from the respective test manuals. The test results indicated that Mountain-Plains students scored below normal in objective measures of trust, autonomy, initiative, industry, identity, and intimacy. While the results do not irrefutably support the arrested personality development interpretation of personal/personality problems with the population under study, the indicators are extremely strong in favor of that interpretation. Supplementary tables provide Ericksonian Ego Qualities and Age Periods, selected test scales, and personality development of Mountain-Plains students versus norm groups. (JR)