Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire Research Articles

Psychological Effects of the Gardening Activity on Mother and Their Infant: Preliminary Evidence from an Exploratory Pilot Study

The Gardening activity is regarded as effective in improving psychological function. However, the psychological effects of the infant from mothers who engage in gardening activity are not well known. This study conducted an exploratory pilot study to confirm the psychological effects of the gardening activity on mother and their infant. Fifteen postpartum women with infants under one-year-old participated in this study. They participated in eight gardening activities. This study asked mothers questions about their infant’s emotional state, attachment to their infant, postpartum depression, and parenting stress before and after the gardening activity. 100% of the participants completed the gardening activity sessions. As a result, the rhythmicity score of the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ), a measure of infant’s emotional aspects was a significant increase than pre-test (t = -2.827, p = 0.013). Attachment score was significantly improved than pre-test (t = 2.432, p = 0.029). Stress regarding parents score was also significantly improved than pre-test (t = 2.299, p = 0.037). These findings provide evidence that the effects of gardening activities on the psychological effects of postpartum women and their infant. Future studies with larger subject cohorts are warranted to confirm the findings of this pilot exploratory study.

Correlation of maternal abuse during pregnancy with infant temperament and development

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of domestic violence (DV) against pregnant women on their infant's development in China.Design247 mothers were interviewed using the Chinese version of the Abuse Assessment Screen, and...

How many infants are temperamentally difficult? Comparing norms from the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire to a population sample of UK infants

The original norms for the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ) were published in 1978 and were based on a small sample from the US. The aim of this study is to compare temperament scores from the original RITQ against scores from a large population-based cohort of infants from the UK. This study consists of 10,937 infants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) born between April 1991 and December 1992 in the southwest of England. Infant temperament at 6 months of age was reported by parents using the adapted RITQ. Responses were scored according to the RITQ manual and then categorized into temperament groups (easy, intermediate low, intermediate high, and difficult) using either the RITQ norms or norms derived from the data. The scores for each temperament subscale and the proportion of children in each temperament group were compared across the two methods. Subscale scores for the ALSPAC sample were higher (more “difficult”) than the RITQ norms for rhythmicity, approach, adaptability, intensity, and distractibility. When RITQ norms were applied, 24% infants were categorized as difficult and 25% as easy, compared with 15% difficult and 38% easy when ALSPAC norms were used. There are discrepancies between RITQ norms and the ALSPAC norms which resulted in differences in the distribution of temperament groups. There is a need to re-examine RITQ norms and categorization for use in primary care practice and contemporary population-based studies.

Evidence of developmental continuity from birth to 1 year: sleep, temperament, problem solving, and recognition memory.

Research evidence is limited regarding developmentally appropriate care. Variations exits with respect to test procedure type, infant age at testing, and test relatedness. To assess developmental continuity using multiple developmental measures from birth to 12 months in a single cohort of term infants. A secondary analysis, longitudinal, correlational design was used to assess developmental continuity in a single cohort of infants (n 27). Measures included: sleep, using the Motility Monitoring System (first 48 hours of life); temperament, using the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (ICQ, 6 months) and the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ, 12 months); problem-solving, using the Willatts Infant Planning Test (PS, 9 and 12 months); and the Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence (FTII, 6 and 9 months). Using Spearmen correlation, significant correlations included: (1) Sleep and ICQ: transitional sleep and "unpredictable" (r 0.455, P .017), "unadaptable" (r 0.420, P .026), and "dull" (r 0.416, P .028); (2) ICQ and FTII 6 months (r -0.512, P .008); (3) RITQ "approachability" and quiet sleep (r 0.662, P .005); (4) arousals in active sleep and PS at 9 months (r -0.528, P .016). Given our reported continuity between early sleep and later developmental measures, sleep-wake state should be considered in caregiving and environmental control to support sleep. Parental education on facilitating sleep-wake regulation in the home environment is essential. These data support the existence of continuity between early sleep and later developmental milestones warranting a larger-scale investigation. Specific focus on development of care strategies for facilitating sleep immediately following birth is warranted.

Parental behaviour and children's creation of imaginary companions: A longitudinal study

This longitudinal study examined whether parenting quality, parental behaviours and children's temperament at 6 months of age predicted children's creations of imaginary companions (ICs) at 44 months of age. At six months, parenting quality and parental behaviours were measured using the Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment, and the frequency of mental-state references made during mother–infant interactions was recorded. Temperament was assessed using the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire. Parents then completed questionnaires assessing whether their children had ICs at 44 months of age. The results revealed that only the approach characteristic of temperament marginally predicted children's IC status. Results of the parental measures showed that parents of children with ICs were more likely to attribute mental states to their child and to refrain from intruding in their child's behaviours than parents of children without ICs. The results indicated that parental behaviours are important for children's creation of ICs.

Relações entre o temperamento infantil aos oito meses e as práticas educativas maternas aos 18 meses de vida da criança

Este estudo investigou as relações entre características do temperamento infantil, avaliadas aos oito meses de vida do bebê, e as práticas educativas maternas, avaliadas aos 18 meses da criança. Participaram 28 díades mãe-criança, com bebês saudáveis do sexo masculino e de nível socioeconômico baixo, residentes em Salvador. Foram aplicados o Questionário de Temperamento Infantil Revisado e a Entrevista Estruturada sobre Práticas Educativas Maternas. A análise de conteúdo permitiu a classificação das práticas educativas maternas em práticas facilitadoras e não facilitadoras do desenvolvimento social. Embora tenham sido encontradas correlações moderadas entre as dimensões limiar de resposta e aproximação-retraimento e o escore total de temperamento e as práticas educativas maternas, a análise de regressão não confirmou nenhuma dessas relações. Discute-se a relevância de variáveis moderadoras e mediadoras e, ainda, particularidades do instrumento utilizado para a avaliação do temperamento.

The stability of mastery motivation and its relationship with home environment in infants and toddlers

Mastery motivation (intrinsic drives to explore and master one's environment) is a key developmental element. The aims of this study were to investigate (1) the stability of mastery motivation between 2 and 3 years of age for two genders; and (2) the associations between early home environment and toddlers’ mastery motivation in children with typical development. Methods Data of 102 children developing typically from a birth cohort study at Northern Taiwan were analyzed in two parts: (1) stability part: mastery motivation of children were measured at 2 and 3 years of age; (2) environment part: child–parent dyads were assessed from birth, 4 months, 6 months, and 2–3 years of age. Outcomes variables were measured at ages 2 and 3 years by the Dimension of Mastery Questionnaire-17th version. Main predictive variables were measured by Home Observation for Measuring Environment Inventory (HOME) to collect data of the qualities of home environment at 6 months and 2 years; by the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire to obtain 4-month activity levels; and by the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers to obtain 2-year developmental quotient (DQ). Results There was moderate stability of mastery motivation from 2 to 3 years, and girls’ stability was higher than boys’. 6-Month HOME rather than 2-year HOME measures were positively and significantly correlated with instrumental mastery motivation even when controlling for gender, activity level, and DQ. Conclusion Mastery motivation had moderate stability during the toddler period. The quality of home environment in infancy appeared to have a significant impact on toddler's mastery motivation. To promote mastery motivation, caregivers should provide better quality of home environment for infants/toddlers during the very early years.

Relationship between sleep/wake patterns, temperament and overall development in term infants over the first year of life

Background This study sought to assess the relationship between the development of infant sleep/wake patterns, temperament and overall mental, motor and behavioural development over the first year of life. We hypothesised that infants with more regular sleep/wake patterns and longer sleep durations would have an easier temperament and higher developmental scores. Study design Sleep/wake characteristics were recorded with the use of both parental sleep diary and actigraphy (Actiwatch AW64, Mini Mitter Company Inc, Sunriver, OR, USA) in 20 healthy term infants at monthly intervals over the first year of life. Temperament was assessed using the Early Infant Temperament Questionnaire (EITQ) at 3 months and the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ) at 6 and 11 months and mental, motor and behavioural development at 12 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II (BSID-II). Results At all 3 ages studied increased nocturnal sleep was correlated with increased approachability. In addition, at 11 months increased diurnal sleep duration was also correlated with increased rhythmicity and adaptability. At 12 months of age decreased daytime sleep duration was correlated with emotional regulation. Conclusions Our findings highlight the importance of considering maturational and regulatory aspects of sleep when evaluating infant daytime behaviour. We suggest that concerns regarding sleep characteristics should become a significant aspect of clinical assessment and diagnosis of developmental delay or behaviour problems, particularly in the first year of life.

Application of the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire for evaluating temperament in the Japanese infant: Creation of an abridged Japanese version

The Japanese version of the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ) was implemented to re-evaluate factor structure of the temperament scale with the objective of simplification. The questionnaire was conducted on 1099 mothers of Japanese infants visiting health centers for their children's health examinations at 6 or 7 months. As a result, a 57-item abridged version was constructed consisting of the seven subscales: 'fear of strangers and strange situations', 'insensitivity to food', 'regularity of rhythm', 'manageability', 'activity level', 'persistence of attention', and 'insensitivity to touch'. Although the items did not break down into the traditional nine temperament dimensions extracted by Carey et al., a certain commonality was seen in factor structure compared with the results of factor analysis using the RITQ in studies in Japan and abroad.

Infant temperament and maternal sensitivity behavior in the first year of life

Maternal sensitivity behavior (MSB) and infant temperament were investigated among 56 Finnish low-risk mothers and their full-term and healthy infants. The mothers were from families with good economic status, the infant's parents lived together, and the mothers were well educated. Mothers and infants were video-recorded in free-play situations at home, and evaluated using the Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment Scale (PCERA). The infants were also assessed using the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (R-ITQ) and the Toddler Temperament Questionnaire (TTQ). Most of the temperament characteristics showed moderate stability during the first year. MSB was related to infant temperament characteristics at 3, 6 and 12 months of age. Gender differences in temperament were evident already at 6 and 12 months of age. Few prior studies have reported gender differences in infancy.

The temperament of pre‐term, low birth weight infants and its potential biological substrates

Temperament profiles of pre-term, low birth weight (LBW) infants were assessed at 6 months of age using standardized norms from the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ). The contributions of perinatal risk, ethnicity, and gender to various temperament dimensions were examined. The sample included 152 infants with a mean birth weight of 1687 g and a mean gestational age of 31 weeks. Eighty percent of the infants were classified as having temperaments that were difficult to manage. Irregularity of the infants' biorhythms, slowness in their ability to adapt to changes, and distractibility were the most problematic. Birth weight, gestational age, and gender were not associated with temperament. Perinatal morbidity was related to the temperament dimension of infant persistence, with implications for the infant's attention span and task performance. Euro American infants were rated as more persistent and less intense in emotional expression than were infants of other ethnic groups. Results suggest the need for a more direct assessment of the effects of neurobiological processes on development of temperament phenotypes and for measurement of temperament that is socioculturally appropriate.

MATERNAL EXPRESSED EMOTION AS A PREDICTOR OF EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT CHILDREN

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which maternal emotions expressed toward low birth weight infants (<2500 gm) at six months of age predicted emotional and behavioral problems at two years of age. With a sample of 83 mother-infant dyads, a Revised Five Minute Speech Sample (R-FMSS) was used to measure the Expressed Emotion (EE) constructs of Negative EE (criticism, hostility), Positive EE (positive remarks, warmth) and Overinvolved EE. Problem behaviors were measured at two years of the child's age utilizing the Child Behavior Checklist/2-3. Infant temperament was controlled for using the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire. While temperament contributed the most variance to the development of emotional and behavioral problems, results indicated that Negative EE was a significant predictor of internalizing problems such as anxiety and withdrawal. The detrimental impact of Negative EE was most substantial for infants who adapted less readily to the demands of their environments and who had more difficulty persisting with a task or activity. Although Positive EE did not influence the incidence of problems for children in general, it did appear to reduce the likelihood of developing internalizing problems for more persistent children. Overinvolved EE showed no relationship to the incidence of problems reported for a child. Nurses are in the prime position to identify negative maternal-infant interactions during the first year of life that may place the low birth weight infant at risk for poor mental health outcomes.

The Swedish Family: Transition to Parenthood

Family interaction during pregnancy and the transition to parenthood creates the social environment in which the fetus becomes part of the family, family relationships and roles are reorganized, and the infant's temperament appears. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among family dynamics, parental-fetal attachment, and infant temperament across the transition to parenthood. A sample of 91 families in Helsingborg, Sweden completed the Family Dynamics Measure and the Maternal/Paternal Fetal Attachment Scale during the third trimester of pregnancy. When the infant was 8-9 months old, mothers (n = 62) and fathers (n = 54) again completed the Family Dynamics Measure. The mother completed the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire as well. Overall, we found small changes in family dynamics, with an increase in perceived role conflict and mutuality reported by mothers. Fathers reported greater fetal attachment than their partners. Greater paternal- and maternal fetal attachment was related to more positive family dynamics, and maternal-fetal attachment was positively related to infant mood at 8 months. The stability of family dynamics across the transition to parenthood is a sign that most families negotiate this transition without difficulty.

Québécois, Haitian, and Vietnamese Mothers' Report of Infant Temperament

Research has shown different temperamental attributes in infants of various cultural origins. Some authors have suggested that these temperamental attributes might be related to biological and genetic differences. In the present study, mothers' reports of infant temperament, using the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (Carey &amp; McDevitt, 1978), were compared among Québécois, Haitian, and Vietnamese groups living in Montréal. Results indicated patterns of differences across groups that essentially distinguished the Québécois from the other two groups. These two groups reported more difficult temperamental characteristics in their infants. The values and caretaking practices related to the specific cultural contexts, contrasted with the values expressed through a North‐American validated questionnaire, may explain the variations in infant temperament reports. Further studies should examine more thoroughly the relation between observed infant behaviours and maternal reports.

Infant temperament and child-rearing stress: birth order influences.

The relationship between an infant's temperamental difficulty and the mother's child-rearing stress was investigated in a sample of 128 children. Children's temperament was assessed by the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ) at 6-7 months, and by the Toddler Temperament Scale (TTS) at 18 months. The mothers' child-rearing stress was assessed by a self-report questionnaire. At the children's age of 18 months, mothers of difficult children reported higher child-rearing stress than mothers of easy children. Although difference in the level of child-rearing stress reflecting birth order was not evident at either 6-7 months or 18 months, the proportion of child-rearing stress which could be explained by the children's temperament was highest for mothers of first-borns when their children were 18 months old.

Relationships between infant temperament, demographic variables, and family dynamics of childrearing families.

Relationships between infant temperament, demographic variables, and family dynamics of child-rearing families were investigated in this study. The revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ), the Family Dynamics Questionnaire (FDQ) and the Family Dynamics Measure (FDM) were sent to 118 families who had participated in the first stage of the study as child-bearing families. About 8 months after childbirth 96 mothers and 95 fathers completed the questionnaires. The characteristics of infant temperament and demographic variables related to the variance of dimensions of family dynamics. Characteristics of the temperamentally easy baby related to more positive family dynamics perceived by child-rearing parents. Fathers rearing their first child reported that their families functioned better than fathers with their second infant. In child health clinics families rearing their second child should also be supported, especially families with arrhythmic and negative mood infants.

Relationship between patterns of infant temperament, child behavior ratings, and interactions during toddlerhood.

This longitudinal study examined the relationship of temperament ratings during infancy, subsequent child behavior problems, and mother-child interaction. The authors considered the effect of change in mothers' perceptions of their infants' temperament during infancy (e.g., from easy to difficult or from difficult to easy) on subsequent developmental outcomes. Data from a predominantly middle-class Caucasian sample of 49 mother-child dyads are presented here. Findings revealed that children with discontinuities in 4 and 8-month ratings on the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (e.g, Easy/Difficult or Difficult/Easy) had significantly higher problem and intensity scores on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory than those with stable temperament ratings (Carey & McDevitt, 1978a). No significant differences were found in maternal behaviors between mothers of children rated easy or difficult at 4 or 8 months. These results suggest that continuity of infant temperament ratings is an important factor for consideration in subsequent maternal identification of toddler behavior problems, and that difficult temperament alone may not predict such problems.

Family dynamics and infant temperament in Danish families.

Transition to parenthood involves the fine balance of family dynamics which both affect, and are affected by, the infant's temperament. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in family dynamics over the transition to parenthood and the relationship of family dynamics to infant temperament. A sample of 99 families in Odense, Denmark, completed the Family Dynamics Measure in the third trimester of pregnancy and again when the infant was 8-9 months old. At this second time, the mothers also completed the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire. Overall we found small changes, although always in a negative direction, in family dynamics over this transition. The largest change was an increase in perceived role conflict reported by both mothers and fathers. Mothers reported more role conflict than fathers. Positive family dynamics were related to infant rhythmicity.

乳幼児期にみられる行動特徴

The main purpose of the study was to investigate dimensions of behavioral characteristics in early childhood. Factor analysis of the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (Carey & McDevitt, 1978) and the Toddler Temperament Scale (Fullard, McDevitt & Carey, 1984) with a representative sample of 817 (RITQ) and 615 (TTS) Japanese children (RITQ: 6-month-old, TTS: 18-month-old) provided limited empirical support for its original 9-dimension structure. Of the original 9 dimensions,“rhythmicity”,“attention span and persistence”(RITQ and TTS) and “distractibity”,“intensity of reaction”(TTS) emerged as relatively pure factors. The other factors were named “fearfulness for stranger and strange situation”,“frustration tolerance ”,“audio -visual sensitivity ”,“tactile sensitivity ”and “sensitivity to food”. Comparison of these factors with other studies showed possibility of synthesizing measurement of behavioral characteristics in early childhood.

The Early Infancy Temperament Questionnaire

Although there are several scales routinely used for assessment of temperament during the first year of life, none of them is well suited to the infant younger than 4 months old. The Early Infancy Temperament Questionnaire (EITQ) was designed to meet this need. The EITQ is a 76-item parent questionnaire for assessing the nine New York Longitudinal Study temperament characteristics in 1- to 4-month-old infants. The majority of the items were adapted from the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire to be developmentally appropriate for the very young infant. The standardization population consisted of 404 infants from one pediatric practice. Means for the nine categories were calculated separately for infants from 1 to 2 months and 3 to 4 months old. Internal consistency for the nine categories ranged from .42 to .76. Test-retest scores, completed between 2 to 3 weeks after the first rating, ranged from .43 to .87, with generally increasing retest levels in the older age group. None of the categories showed significant differences between male and female infants. This newly developed instrument should enhance the ability of both researchers and clinicians to assess temperament reliably and to understand better its contribution to clinical problems in the very young child.