Correlates of Difficult Temperament in Infancy

Abstract

Despite interest in the construct of "difficult temperament" in infancy, little is known about its correlates within the first 2 years of life. In a study of 272 families consisting of 152 adopted and 120 nonadopted infants tested in their homes at 12 and 24 months of age, a parental report of difficult temperament was related to 3 major areas of correlates: (1) infant functioning (parental ratings of temperament, tester ratings using Bayley's Infant Behavior Record, and Bayley Mental Index scores); (2) parental personality (Cattell's 16PF test and a self-report temperament inventory); and (3) measures of the home environment (Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment and the Family Environment Scales). No systematic significant relationships were found between difficult temperament and other aspects of infant development, parental characteristics, or the home environment for the entire sample or for a subsample consisting of the 10% most difficult infants. In addition, we found no evidence for significant interactions between parental personality and home environment as they affect difficult temperament nor did interactions of any type emerge as significant. Taken together with other evidence indicating that difficult temperament in infancy fails to predict concurrent or later behavioral problems, these data add to growing doubts about the utility of the construct of difficult temperament and suggest the need to consider specific infant temperaments that parents find difficult.