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Published on: February 11, 2017
Temperament moderates associations between exposure to stress and children's externalizing problems
Alice C Schermerhorn1, John E Bates, Jackson A Goodnight
1Indiana University, USA. ascherme@uvm.edu
Child Development
|February 27, 2013
Summary
Children with difficult temperaments (high unmanageability and unadaptability) show a stronger link between family stress and externalizing problems at school. This interaction persists from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Child temperament and family stress are key factors influencing behavioral development.
- Externalizing problems in school can have long-term negative consequences.
- Understanding moderating factors is crucial for effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between temperament profiles and family stress in predicting children's externalizing problems.
- To examine this interaction longitudinally from kindergarten through eighth grade.
- To identify specific temperament characteristics that exacerbate the impact of family stress.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 556 families from kindergarten to eighth grade (ages 5-13).
- Mothers reported on child temperament (infancy) and annual family stress.
- Teachers reported on children's externalizing problems annually.
- Temperament profile served as a moderator in statistical analyses.
Main Results:
- A specific temperament profile, characterized by high resistance to control (unmanageability) and high unadaptability (novelty distress), significantly strengthened the association between family stress and externalizing problems.
- This interaction effect was observed across multiple time points during the follow-up period.
- Other temperament profiles did not show this significant moderating effect.
Conclusions:
- Temperament plays a critical role in how children respond to family stress.
- Children with challenging temperaments may require targeted support to mitigate the impact of environmental stressors.
- Further research into underlying mechanisms can inform prevention and intervention strategies for externalizing behaviors.
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