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Relationships between temperament and development in preschool children
Insights
Preschool children
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Psychology
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Temperament influences early childhood development.
- Understanding temperament-development links is crucial for educational and clinical interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between temperament and developmental levels in preschool children.
- To identify specific temperament traits correlating with cognitive-verbal and motor development.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-one 3- and 4-year-old children from day-care centers participated.
- Temperament was assessed using the Behavioral Style Questionnaire.
- Cognitive-verbal and motor development were measured with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Goodenough Draw-a-Person Test, and Comprehensive Identification Process.
Main Results:
- Significant inverse correlations (p < .05) were found between developmental scores and six temperament categories: activity, rhythmicity, approach, adaptability, mood, and persistence.
- Children with specific temperament profiles demonstrated more advanced development.
Conclusions:
- Mildly active, rhythmic, adaptable, persistent, approachable children with a positive mood achieve higher developmental levels.
- Temperament is a significant factor in preschool children's developmental trajectories.
Abstract:
In this study the relationship between temperament and development in preschool children was determined. Thirty-one children, age 3 and 4 years old, were selected from day-care centers. The child's temperament was measured with the Behavioral Style Questionnaire. Cognitive-verbal and motor development were assessed using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the Goodenough Draw-a-Person Test, and the developmental subtests of the Comprehensive Identification Process. Significant correlations (p less than .05) using the Pearson product moment were found between development and six categories of reactivity for temperament: activity, rhythmicity, approach, adaptability, mood, and persistence. All significant correlation coefficients showed an inverse relationship between temperament and developmental scores. This suggests that children who are mildly active, rhythmic, adaptable, persistent, approachable, and have a positive mood attain a more advanced developmental level during their preschool years.