Temperament in infancy: stability, change, and correlates

The present study investigated whether temperament categories and diagnoses of the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ) remain stable during infancy. Additionally, the relationships between RITQ ratings and scores on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development were evaluated. The sample included 79 nonrisk infants. The results indicate that most categories of temperament, as well as diagnostic clusters, remain stable from 4 to 8 months of life. The majority of NBAS dimensions and Bayley mental scores were not significantly associated with temperament ratings. The antecedents of ratings of infants' difficultness were similarly unidentified by mothers' perceptions of their infant's behavior.