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Temperament and coping: advantages of an individual differences perspective
Douglas Derryberry1, Marjorie A Reed, Carolyn Pilkenton-Taylor
1Psychology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331, USA. dderryberry@orst.edu
Development and Psychopathology
|February 27, 2004
Summary
Understanding children's coping mechanisms is key. Individual differences in temperament provide primitive coping skills that develop with cognitive functions, enhancing self-control and adaptive outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Background:
- Children's coping and vulnerabilities are influenced by individual differences.
- Temperament involves basic motivational and attentional systems that act as early coping mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the benefits of an individual differences approach to children's coping.
- To understand how temperament and developing cognitive functions interact to shape coping strategies.
Main Methods:
- The study adopts an individual differences perspective, viewing temperament as a foundation for coping.
- It integrates concepts from developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience to explain coping development.
Main Results:
- Primitive coping mechanisms rooted in temperament are enhanced by representational and cortical functions during development.
- This developmental process enables proactive coping, improved planning, and greater self-control.
Conclusions:
- An individual differences approach highlights how diverse temperamental patterns contribute to adaptive and maladaptive outcomes.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for interventions aimed at improving children's coping and resilience.