Correlates of difficult temperament in infancy

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Infant Behavior
• Child Psychology

Background:

• The concept of "difficult temperament" in infants is of interest, but its early correlates are not well understood.
• Existing research lacks comprehensive data on the factors associated with difficult infant temperament within the first two years of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlates of difficult temperament in infants aged 12 and 24 months.
• To examine relationships between difficult temperament and infant functioning, parental personality, and the home environment.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 272 families (152 adopted, 120 nonadopted infants) was conducted.
• Data were collected through parental reports, tester ratings using Bayley's Infant Behavior Record, Bayley Mental Index scores, Cattell's 16PF test, temperament inventories, Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME), and Family Environment Scales (FES).
• Analyses included the entire sample and a subsample of the 10% most difficult infants.

Main Results:

• No significant relationships were found between difficult temperament and infant development, parental characteristics, or home environment measures.
• This lack of association held true for the overall sample and the subgroup of most difficult infants.
• No significant interactions were identified between parental personality and home environment in their effect on difficult temperament.

Conclusions:

• The findings cast doubt on the utility of the broad construct of "difficult temperament" in infancy.
• Evidence suggests that difficult temperament does not reliably predict concurrent or later behavioral problems.
• There is a need to focus on specific infant temperaments that parents perceive as difficult, rather than a general category.