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The relationship between temperament and character and psychopathology in community children with overweight

Jun Won Hwang1, In Kyoon Lyoo, Boong Nyun Kim

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|March 3, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Overweight children exhibit distinct temperament and character patterns, including lower persistence and higher novelty seeking, linked to increased psychopathology like social and delinquent problems.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Behavioral Science
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Childhood overweight and obesity are significant public health concerns.
  • Understanding the psychological underpinnings of overweight in children is crucial for intervention.
  • Temperament and character traits may influence the development and maintenance of overweight conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between temperament and character traits and psychopathology in children at risk of overweight and those who are overweight.
  • To compare psychological profiles across nonoverweight, at-risk-of-overweight, and overweight children.
  • To identify specific temperament and character patterns associated with psychopathology in overweight children.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 453 children aged 10-12 years in South Korea.
  • Utilized the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to assess psychopathology and the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI) for temperament and character.
  • Compared questionnaire scores among nonoverweight, at-risk-of-overweight, and overweight groups, and analyzed correlations between scales.

Main Results:

  • Overweight children scored higher on social problems, delinquent problems, and total problems compared to nonoverweight children.
  • Children at risk of overweight showed higher social problem scores than nonoverweight children.
  • Overweight children displayed lower persistence and higher novelty seeking, with lower persistence correlating negatively with delinquent, externalizing, and total problems.

Conclusions:

  • Overweight children exhibit unique temperament and character profiles compared to nonoverweight peers and those at risk.
  • These distinct psychological patterns are associated with specific forms of psychopathology in overweight children.
  • Findings highlight the importance of considering temperament and character in understanding and addressing psychopathology in childhood overweight.

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