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Temperament and externalizing behavior: social preference and perceived acceptance as protective factors
Louise E Berdan1, Susan P Keane1, Susan D Calkins2
1Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Developmental Psychology
|July 9, 2008
Summary
High temperamental Surgency/Extraversion in preschoolers predicts later hyperactivity. For girls, perceived acceptance and social preference moderate this risk, with accurate acceptance acting as a protective factor.
Area of Science:
- Child psychology
- Developmental psychology
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Externalizing behaviors like hyperactivity and aggression are significant concerns in early childhood.
- Child temperament, particularly traits like Surgency/Extraversion, is a known predictor of behavioral outcomes.
- Social factors such as peer acceptance and perceived acceptance may influence the development of externalizing behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate social preference and perceived acceptance as moderators between child temperament and externalizing behaviors.
- To examine how these social factors influence the relationship between early temperament and later behavioral issues.
- To identify specific risk and protective factors for externalizing behaviors in young children.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study involving 399 children assessed at pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.
- Measurement of child temperament (Surgency/Extraversion) in pre-kindergarten.
- Assessment of externalizing behaviors (hyperactivity, aggression) in kindergarten, alongside social preference and perceived acceptance.
Main Results:
- High pre-kindergarten Surgency/Extraversion was associated with increased kindergarten hyperactivity and aggression.
- Perceived acceptance and social preference moderated the link between Surgency/Extraversion and hyperactivity in girls.
- Girls with high Surgency/Extraversion, high perceived acceptance, and low social preference showed elevated hyperactivity; accurate high perceived acceptance was protective.
Conclusions:
- Child temperament, specifically Surgency/Extraversion, is a risk factor for externalizing behaviors.
- Social factors, including perceived acceptance and social preference, play a moderating role, particularly for girls.
- Accurate perception of social acceptance can serve as a protective factor against the development of hyperactivity in children with specific temperaments.
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