Investigations of temperament at three to seven years: the Children's Behavior Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Temperament significantly influences child development and socialization.
• Accurate measurement of temperament is crucial for research and clinical applications.
• The Children's Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) is a widely used caregiver report for assessing childhood temperament.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the reliability and validity of the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ).
• To present data on the structure of temperament in childhood using the CBQ.
• To evaluate the CBQ's utility as a measure of temperament in children aged 3-7 years.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing evidence on the CBQ's reliability and validity.
• Factor analyses of CBQ scale data to determine the underlying structure of temperament.
• Examination of convergent validity through relations with socialization-relevant traits.
• Assessment of inter-rater reliability (parental agreement) and internal consistency.

Main Results:

• The CBQ reliably assesses 15 primary temperament characteristics.
• Factor analyses consistently reveal a three-factor structure: Extraversion/Surgency, Negative Affectivity, and Effortful Control.
• This three-factor structure is robust across different cultural contexts.
• Convergent validity is supported by expected relationships with other traits.
• Parental agreement and internal consistency of CBQ scales are adequate.

Conclusions:

• The CBQ is a reliable and valid measure for assessing childhood temperament.
• The three-factor model (Extraversion/Surgency, Negative Affectivity, Effortful Control) provides a robust framework for understanding temperament structure.
• The CBQ is suitable for research requiring a detailed and integrated temperament assessment in children aged 3-7 years.