The Relationship Between Temperament and Character and Psychopathology in Community Children with Overweight

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between temperament and character and psychopathology in at risk of overweight and overweight children. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI) questionnaires were administered to 453 children (10-12 years of age, 203 boys and 250 girls) in Kimpo, South Korea. Subjects were divided into three groups; (1) nonoverweight children (n = 345), (2) children at risk of overweight (n = 72), and (3) overweight children (n = 36). CBCL and the JTCI scores were compared among three groups. In addition, the relationships between subscales of the CBCL and the JTCI were evaluated. On the CBCL, overweight children had higher scores in social problems, delinquent problems, and total problems compared to nonoverweight children. Children at risk of overweight showed higher scores only in social problems compared to nonoverweight children. On the JTCI, lower persistence and tendency of higher novelty seeking was observed in overweight children compared to nonoverweight children. Persistence scores were negatively correlated with scores of delinquent problems, externalizing problems, and total problems in overweight children. Compared to nonoverweight and children at risk of overweight, overweight children had distinct patterns of temperament and character that were related to the specific psychopathology.