In his theory, developmental potential creates crises characterized by strong anxieties and depressions (which he called psychoneurosis) that precipitate disintegrations.
The first factor directs energy and talents toward self-serving goals that reflect the "lower instincts" and biological needs, as its primary focus is on survival and self-advancement.
[4] Dąbrowski felt that society was largely influenced by these two factors and could be characterized as operating at Level I, where the external value system absolves the individual of actual responsibility.
Such people break away from an automatic, rote, socialized view of life (which Dąbrowski called negative adjustment) and move into, and through, a series of personal disintegrations.
[6] The most evident aspect of developmental potential is overexcitability (OE), a heightened physiological experience of stimuli resulting from increased neuronal sensitivities.
Dąbrowski studied human exemplars[clarify] and found that heightened overexcitability was a key part of their developmental and life experience.
[7] Dąbrowski's notion of overexcitability appears to have been developed independently of Elaine Aron's highly sensitive person, as her approach is substantially different.
He saw this as a critical factor in applying one's talents and creativity toward autonomous expression, and in providing motivation to strive for more and to try to imagine (and achieve) goals currently beyond one's grasp.
Dąbrowski advocated autopsychotherapy, educating the person about his theory and the disintegrative process to give them a context within which to understand their intense feelings and needs.
According to Dąbrowski, both children and adults with high DP (and OE) have to find and walk their own path, often at the expense of fitting in with their social peers and even with their families.
"[10] Marked by selfishness and egocentrism (both covert and explicit), those at level one generally seek self-fulfillment above all else, justifying their pursuits through a sort of "it's all about me" thinking.
[12] Dąbrowski thought that primary integration in the average person could be of value as it is stable and predictable, and, when accompanied by kindness and good-will, could represent those who can provide support and stability to people experiencing disintegration.
Unilevel disintegration occurs during developmental crises such as puberty or menopause, in periods of difficulty handling an external stressful event, or under psychological conditions such as nervousness and psychoneurosis.
[note 2] Unilevel disintegration occurs on a single structural and emotional level; there is a prevalence of automatic dynamisms with only slight self-consciousness and self-control.
Ultimately, if developmental forces are strong enough, the person is thrust into an existential crisis as their social rationales no longer account for their experiences and there is no alternative explanation.
Dąbrowski believed that the authentic individual would choose the higher path as the clear and obvious one to follow, erasing the ambivalences and ambitendencies of unilevel conflicts.
If the person's actual behavior subsequently falls short of the ideal, internal disharmony and a drive to review and reconstruct one's life will often follow.
As events in life are seen in relation to this multilevel, vertical view, it becomes impossible to support positions that favor a lower course of action when higher goals can be imagined and identified.
The involuntary spontaneous development of Level III is replaced by a deliberate, conscious, self-directed review of life from the multilevel perspective.
"[16] The person consciously reviews their existing belief system and tries to replace lower, automatic views and reactions with carefully thought out, examined and chosen ideals.
Behavior becomes less reactive, less automatic and more deliberate as choices increasingly fall under the influence of the person's higher, chosen, ideals.
[note 4] At this highest level, one's behavior is guided by conscious, carefully weighed decisions based on an individualized and chosen hierarchy of personal values.
The gifted child, the suicidal teen, or the troubled artist is often experiencing the features of TPD, and if they accept and understand the meaning of their intense feelings and crises, they can move ahead, not fall apart.
The completion of an extensive autobiography to help the individual gain perspective on their past and present is an important component in the autopsychotherapy process.
[note 5] The client is encouraged to embark on a journey of self-discovery, with an emphasis on looking for the contrast between what is higher versus what is lower within their personality and value structure.
Rather than trying to rapidly ameliorate symptoms, this approach encourages individuals to fully experience their feelings and to try to maintain a positive and developmental outlook regarding what they may perceive as strong depression or anxiety.
However, Dąbrowski also added a major existential aspect as well, one that depends upon the anxieties a person feels and on how they resolve the day-to-day challenges they face.
He spoke of the need to become aware of and inhibit and reject the lower instinctual aspects of the intrinsic human self, and to actively choose and assemble higher elements into a new unique self.
If they feel badly about behaving in these ways, they can cognitively and volitionally decide to inhibit and eliminate these behaviors; Dąbrowski called this personality shaping.
An appendix to Dąbrowski (1967) reports the results of investigations done in 1962 where "a group of [Polish] gifted children and young people aged 8 to 23" were examined.