The Primacy of Early Experience: A Critique, an Alternative, and Some Clinical Implications

Abstract

The author critically examines the concept that early childhood experience plays a centrally important role in psychological development. This principle is contradicted by a wide range of evidence, most particularly that the cumulative effect of adverse experiences is more important than timing, and that children are resilient to a wide range of adverse events. An alternative model is offered, rooted in the interactions between temperament and childhood experiences. Some clinical implications of the model are also explored.