Child Temperament Characteristics Research Articles

Contributions of Children's Temperament to Teachers' Judgments of Social Competence From Kindergarten Through Second Grade

Research Findings: Children's social competence has been linked to successful transition to formal school. The purpose of this study was to examine the contributions of children's temperament to teachers' ratings of their social competence from kindergarten through 2nd grade. Children (N = 1,364) from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network participated in this study. Mothers rated children's shyness, attentional focusing, and inhibitory control with the Children's Behavior Questionnaire at 4½ years, and teachers rated children's social competence with three subscales (cooperation, assertion, and self-control) of the Social Skills Rating System at kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade. Latent growth curve analysis indicated that both shyness and effortful control contributed to children's social competence. Bolder children were likely to have higher assertion ratings, and shyer children with greater attentional focusing were likely to have higher assertion ratings. Shyer children and children with greater inhibitory control and attentional focusing were likely to have higher teacher ratings of self-control and cooperation. Practice or Policy: Findings highlight the importance of considering child temperament characteristics when understanding children's social competence and successful adjustment to kindergarten. Information may help parents, preschool teachers, and early elementary teachers prepare children who may be at particular risk for lower social competence.

A Transactional Model of Temperamental Development: Evidence of a Relationship between Child Temperament and Maternal Stress over Five Years

AbstractAlthough there is growing consensus that parental stress is a risk factor in child development, longitudinal studies of its effects are few. This study tested a sample of 231 mother–child dyads in terms of whether the relations between the global experience of stress in mothers (perceived stress scale) and child temperamental characteristics (infant behavior questionnaire and child behavior questionnaire) could be conceptualized through transactional models of development. The assumption was that higher negative emotionality and lower positive affectivity in the infants would contribute to an increase in maternal stress over a five‐year period, beginning in infancy, and that higher maternal stress would contribute to an increase in child negative affectivity and a decrease in positive affectivity and self‐regulation over the same period. Evidence was found for both hypotheses, but not within the same models: the effect of maternal stress on child temperamental development was greater. The results are discussed with reference to bidirectional models of temperamental development.

Povezanost karakteristika temperamenta i spremnosti djece za školu

Prema Plominovom modelu temperamenta (EASI), djetetov se temperament može mjeriti na četiri dimenzije: emocionalnost, aktivnost, socijabilnost i impulzivnost. Djeci različitog temperamenta potrebno je i drugačije odgojno pristupati, pripremajući ih za polazak u školu. Zato je cilj ovog rada utvrditi relaciju između nekih karakteristika predškolske djece (koje indiciraju spremnost za polaženje osnovne škole) te karakteristika dječjeg temperamenta u djece Dječjeg vrtića "Dugo Selo" (N=66). Analiza razlika u temperamentu (EASI upitnik dječjeg temperamenta) pokazala je da je među svim analiziranim nezavisnim varijablama te interaktivnim varijablama, jedina značajna razlika u temperamentu pronađena za varijablu spol. Rezultati u Obojenim progresivnim matricama (CPM) značajno su negativno povezani jedino s dimenzijom impulzivnosti (za djevojčice i za svu djecu zajedno). Rezultati u testu Lorette Bender – Razvojni princip ocjenjivanja (LB-R) nisu značajno povezani ni s jednom dimenzijom temperamenta, a u Upitniku razvojnih problema (URP) značajno su pozitivno povezani s tri dimenzije temperamenta: impulzivnost, emocionalnost te aktivnost (za dječake i za svu djecu zajedno). U djevojčica rezultati u Upitniku razvojnih problema su značajno pozitivno povezani jedino s dimenzijom aktivnost. Rezultati mogu biti realno stanje za procijenjeni uzorak djece, međutim, oni mogu biti i posljedica specifične metaprocjene koju daju odgajatelji u specifičnim uvjetima dječjeg vrtića.

The interactive effects of temperament and maternal parenting on toddlers' externalizing behaviours

AbstractThe present study aimed to determine the potential moderating effects of temperamental traits on the relation between parenting and toddlers' externalizing behaviours. For that purpose, this study examined the interplay between temperament and maternal parenting behaviours in predicting the level as well as the development of toddlers' externalizing behaviours. Participants were 115 boys (wave 1, M=16.9 months; wave 2, M=23.2 months) and their mothers, who were observed in a 13‐min structured play session at home. With regard to the prediction of the level of externalizing behaviours at wave 1, main effects were found for children's temperamental characteristics. In addition, maternal negative control interacted significantly with children's inhibitory control in predicting this level of externalizing behaviours. The findings with regard to the development of externalizing behaviours showed that the effects of maternal negative control and lack of maternal sensitivity were stronger for toddlers with a difficult temperament: maternal negative control and lack of maternal sensitivity were related to an increase in externalizing behaviours for temperamentally difficult children only. These results offer support for the goodness‐of‐fit hypothesis, stressing the idea that the effects of temperament and the social environment depend to a large extent on their interplay. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Parenting Cognitions Associated with the Use of Psychological Control

Psychological control is a pattern of parenting that is intrusive and manipulative of children's thoughts, feelings, and attachment to parents. Although little is known about the determinants of psychological control, it has been linked to the psychological status of the parent. We hypothesized that several parenting cognitions reflecting personal concerns would be associated with the use of psychological control: low perceived control, sensitivity to hurt, and a disapproving attitude to negative emotion. We also examined moderating associations with child temperament and child gender. Participants were 198 mothers and fathers of 3- and 4-year-olds (106 boys, 92 girls; M age = 4.10 years, SD = 0.26). Parents completed self- and spouse-report measures of psychological control, rated their child's temperamental characteristics, and completed measures of parenting cognitions. Predictions were generally supported for two of the three cognitions. Sensitivity to hurt and disapproval of negative emotion were associated with more frequent reported use of psychological control. There were some moderating effects of child characteristics.

Contributions of Temperament to Buffering and Sensitization Processes in Children's Development

Temperament refers to relatively stable, early appearing, biologically rooted individual differences in behavioral traits. Individual differences in temperament are multidetermined encompassing both biological and experiential influences. Evidence indicates that certain temperament traits, such as impulsivity, inhibition, and negative emotionality, can serve as developmental risk factors. Evidence also indicates that other temperament traits, such as flexible self-regulation, sociability, and task orientation, can serve to increase children's resilience. Five potential mechanisms through which individual differences in temperament can increase vulnerability or facilitate resilience are presented: (1) Differential treatment of children with different temperaments by caregivers or teachers (reactive covariance). (2) Children with different temperament styles seeking out environments that may increase risk or promote resilience (active covariance). (3) Goodness or poorness of fit between child temperament characteristics and environmental demands. (4) Children with different temperaments reacting to similar levels or types of stress in different ways. (5) Different coping strategies used by children with different temperaments.

Children's Knowledge of Household Safety Rules

We examined child temperamental characteristics and family environment characteristics as predictors of the level of parent-child agreement on household safety rules. Fifty children (ages 4-7) and their parents participated. Linear regression analysis indicated that child temperamental characteristics and family characteristics predicted parent-child rule agreement. Child activity level and family orientation toward social and recreational activities were significant predictors. The findings of this study highlight the importance of not relying only on household rules as a method of keeping children safe.

The Entry Behavior of Aggressive/Rejected Children: The Contributions of Status and Temperament

AbstractThis study investigated the entry behavior and temperamental characteristics of aggressive/rejected and nonaggressive/popular kindergarten and first‐grade children. An analog entry situation was used to assess children's entry skills. Aggressive/rejected children had more difficulty than nonaggressive/popular children delivering their entry bids in a well‐timed manner and engaged in more disruptive entry strategies. They also tended to use more aggressive entry strategies after experiencing entry failure. The children's temperamental characteristics accounted for significant variance in their entry behavior. Temperamental fear made a positive contribution to children's use of socially appropriate entry strategies. The children's status and impulsiveness each explained unique variance in their use of disruptive entry strategies. Aggressive/rejected girls were more impulsive than other groups and tended to be less fearful.

The analyses of the temperament types distributing and the temperament characteristics of preschool children

目的 了解长春市学龄前儿童气质类型及气质特征.方法采用NYLS 家长评定问卷(PTQ)对长春市737名学龄前儿童进行测查.结果中间型占79.8%,难养型占17.5%,易养型占2.6%,启动缓慢型占0.1%,其中中间型和难养型在各年龄组中的比例差异有显著性(P <0.05),儿童气质类型的分布没有年龄和性别的差异.活动性、规律性、趋避性有年龄差异,而适应度和趋避性有性别差异(P <0.05).气质维度有年龄和性别的差异(P <0.05).结论长春市学龄前儿童气质类型分布和气质维度上有其独特性,应根据其气质特点采取相应的干预措施。

Parenting daily hassles, child temperament, and social adjustment in preschool

The goal of this study was to explore the relations between child temperament, parenting daily hassles, and children’s social adjustment in preschool. The participants were 122 preschool children ( M age=48.59 months, SD=6.92). Parents completed measures of child temperament and parenting daily hassles. Preschool social adjustment was assessed through teacher ratings and behavioral observations. Among the results, parenting daily hassles predicted child externalizing problems beyond the contribution of child temperament characteristics. As well, child temperament interacted with parenting hassles in the prediction of adjustment outcomes. Results are discussed in terms of the complex inter-associations between child temperament and stress and their contributions to child social adjustment.

Does child temperament moderate the influence of parenting on adjustment?

Parental socialization and child temperament are modestly associated with child adjustment outcomes. Main-effects models have yielded valuable information, but fail to explicate mechanisms via which child adjustment occurs. A conditional model of influence is suggested, in which parenting effects on child adjustment are moderated by child temperament characteristics. Theoretical support for such a model is outlined, integrating bioecological systems theory ( Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998) and a corollary differential susceptibility hypothesis ( Belsky, 1997). Empirical work compatible with the moderated model is reviewed, and research that more fully integrates the theoretical model and allows direct testing of the propositions is presented.

Temperament of Low Birth Weight Infants and Child-Rearing Stress: Comparison with Full-term Healthy Infants

Infant temperament was studied at 6 and 18 months of age in low birth weight (LBW) and full-term healthy (FT) infants, in relation to infant temperament and child-rearing stress. The sample amounted to 53 mothers of LBW infants and 397 mothers of FT infants at 6 months, and 35 mothers of LBW infants and 144 mothers of FT infants at 18 months. Temperament was assessed by RITQ (6 months) and TTS (18 months). The mothers' child-rearing stress was assessed by an original child-rearing stress questionnaire. As temperament characteristics, the only significant difference was a significantly higher score for "approach vs . avoidance" in LBW infants at 6 months. Although differences between child-rearing stress scores were not significant between mothers of LBW and FT infants, multiple regression analysis revealed that a higher proportion of child-rearing stress could be explained by the child's temperamental characteristics in mothers of LBW infants.

A systematic assessment of the specific fears, anxiety level, and temperament of children with imaginary companions

This study investigated the specific fears, anxiety level, and temperament characteristics of children with and without imaginary companions. Mothers of children with and without imaginary companions (37 mothers in each condition) whose children were aged between 3.2 and 8.7 years were asked to complete the Fear Survey Schedule for Children – II Parent (FSSC-IIP), the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale – Parent (RCMAS-P), and the Short Temperament Scale for Children (STSC). Examination of mothers' ratings indicated no differences between groups on the fear and temperament scales. The scores for anxiety were significantly higher for imaginary companion children as a result of differences on the concentration and worry-over sensitivity subscales. However, the mean scores were still within the normal range. Consequently, it is concluded that whereas the presence of imaginary companions may be associated with some difference in levels of anxiety, overall there is no indication that children with imaginary companions experience emotional difficulties.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Temperament Assessment Battery for Children-Revised: Parent Form

Temperament refers to the biologically rooted, individual differences in behavioral tendencies that present early in life and are relatively sta ble across situations and over time. Tempera ment has been shown to relate to adult per sonality characteristics and to predict behav ioral problems during childhood and into adulthood. The Temperament Assessment Battery for Children-Revised: Parent Form (TABC-R:PF) was developed by Martin (1998) to measure temperament characteristics of children aged 3 to 7 years. The factor structure of this instrument was evaluated using EFA and CFA of mothers' ratings of 266 typically developing children. The results indicated that a four-factor temperament model (Inhibition, Negative Emotionality, Activity Level, and Task Persistence) based on 27 items provided the best fit for the data. The internal consistency of these factors was found to be acceptable (Cronbach's α = .73 to .86).

Children's temperament at 3 months and 6 years old: stability, reliability, and measurement issues.

This study examined the stability of temperament characteristics in children over a 6-year period as well as the reliability of Rothbart's infant and child temperament measures. Thirty-seven mothers rated their firstborns' temperaments using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) at 3 months and the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) at 6 years of age. Paired t tests between matched IBQ/CBQ subscales revealed that children were rated significantly higher in all behavioral subscales at 6 years, with the exception of Soothability, which remained stable. Correlations among matched IBQ/CBQ subscales showed significant positive relationships between Soothability and Smiling over the 6-year period. Estimates of internal consistency on three of the six IBQ subscales were lower than Rothbart's reported values, whereas the CBQ values were similar. Findings suggest there was not long-term stability in temperament estimates from early infancy to childhood, except in positive affective response to the environment and rate of recovery from distress and excitement. Measurement issues related to using the IBQ/CBQ, assessing temperament at an early age, maturational effects, and implications for practice are discussed.

The Biasing Effect of Information about Children's Temperamental Characteristics

The potential of two temperamental characteristics, motor activity and mood quality, as possible risk factors for school maladjustment was studied by presenting dilemma stories to 218 subjects involved in teaching and education. Each dilemma story pertained to a transgression act (stealing or lying) committed in a classroom setting. It was suggested to the subjects that only one of two children present on the scene could be blamed. Each of the two involved was described in the narrative in some detail, both differing mainly on the level of one of the two temperamental characteristics studied. Results indicated that information about quality and level of temperamental characteristics of school children influenced the readiness of subjects to attribute 'bad' behavior to children with specific temperamental makeup. Children with higher as opposed to lower levels of ascribed motor activity are more prone to be suspected of committing transgression acts, although motor activity as such is devoid of any moral connotations. The findings shed some light on the mediating processes which may contribute to the risk value of certain temperamental characteristics for school adjustment.

Children with disabilities

The purpose of this article is to provide the clinician with a comprehensive review of the influence of temperament on the social and cognitive development of children with disabilities. Research concerning the interaction of temperament and cognition and the temperament characteristics of children with disabilities is reviewed. Also discussed are issues relevant to clinical practice, including assessment of temperament characteristics and interventions with parents.

The effect of infant irritability on mother-infant interaction: A growth-curve analysis.

To further understanding of temperament-interaction relationships, patterns of interactive behavior were observed longitudinally (at 1,2, 3,4,5, and 6 months) in 30 lower-class dyads (15 irritable, 15 nonirritable). Frequency data were analyzed by using multilevel analysis to assess the changing nature of the behaviors. Findings revealed that irritable infants differ from nonirritable infants both in amount and growth trajectory of positive and negative emotionality and in amount of environmental interest. Mothers of irritable infants differ from those of nonirritable infants in both amount and growth trajectory of visual contact, effective stimulation, physical contact, soothing, noninvolvement, and responsiveness to positive signals. Maternal behavior was systematically more positive in nonirritable compared with irritable infants. Findings are discussed in terms of current temperament theories that stress the possibility of developmental changes in the expression of early temperament. Individual differences in temperament, that is, variation in behavioral style, is one of the factors thought to influence children's interactions with their environments. Despite a continued lack of consensus on denning dimensions of individuality (Bates, 1987; Goldsmith & Campos, 1986), the expression of emotionality plays a prominent role in all current conceptualizations of temperament (Belsky, Fish, & Isabella, 1991). Considerable attention has been focused on negative emotionality, and in the neonatal and early infancy periods, temperament is denned primarily in terms of negative emotionality and is indexed by irritability and amount of fuss/cry behavior (Crockenberg, 1981; Crockenberg & Smith, 1982; Fish, Stifter, & Belsky, 1991). That links can be found between children's temperamental characteristics and interactions with particular others has been established in studies showing, for example, that difficult scores of infants are related to maternal unresponsiveness (Campbell, 1979;Milliones, 1978) and to negative maternal responses (Kelly, 1976). Yet, the findings are not wholly consistent. Vaughn, Taraldson, Crichton, and Egeland (1981) and Bates, Olson, Pettit, and Bayles (1982) found few relations between infants' temperament and mother-child interactions. Such a situation, in which findings are inconsistent, de

Temperament Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes in Young Children with Diabetes Mellitus

Thirty-four children with diabetes and their mothers were studied to investigate the relationship between individual differences, as measured via the temperament construct, and disease-related indices. Analysis of variance revealed that child characteristics such as age, sex, duration of disease, higher activity level, and shorter attention-span were related to behavioral compliance. Multivariate discriminant analyses revealed that combinations of certain child and maternal characteristics were highly efficient in distinguishing between children in adequate vs poor glycemic control and behavioral compliance. The optimum model for classification of regimen adherence used a combination of child characteristics. The optimum model for glycemic control used both child and parent temperament characteristics.

Child and Maternal Temperament Characteristics, Goodness of Fit, and Adjustment in Physically Handicapped Children

We investigated temperament characteristics and their goodness of fit as potentially important moderators of adjustment in children with congenital physical disabilities. The mothers of fifty 6-to 11-year-olds with spina bifida or cerebral palsy completed questionnaires designed to separately assess their children's and their own temperament along five dimensions (activity, distractibility, adaptability/approach, rhythmicity, and reactivity) and their children's adjustment in three areas (internalizing behavior problems, externalizing behavior problems, and social competence). We found disabled children's adjustment to be significantly worse than that of a normative comparison group. We also found significant multivariate relationships between child temperament (but not maternal temperament) and child adjustment. However, knowledge of maternal rhythmicity enhanced predictions of some child adjustment dimensions beyond that afforded by salient child temperament dimensions. The goodness-of-fit model, in whi...