What is Your Child’s Temperament?

Psychologists studying individual differences have identified nine traits as part of temperament, which is the biologically-based behavior style. These traits are not very stable in newborns but tend to stabilize during the first 2 to 3 months of life. These characteristics include the following (Dodson, 1986):

• Activity Level—how quiet or active the child tends to be;

• Predictability—the degree to which biological functions including sleeping patterns, hunger, and bowel movements are predictable;

• Adaptability—how quickly the child adapts to changes in routine;

• Reaction to New Situations—how the child initially reacts to a new person or an unfamiliar situation;

• Sensitivity—how sensitive the child is to potentially-irritating stimuli;

• Intensity—how strongly the child reacts to positive and negative situations;

• Distractibility—how easily the child is distracted (in either a positive or a negative way) by an unexpected stimulus;

• Quality of Mood—the amount of positive mood (pleasant and cheerful behavior) and negative mood (fussy and sad behavior); and,

• Persistence/Attention Span—how long the child will persist at a difficult activity without giving up.

These traits tend to cluster around three basic temperaments: “easy” (about 40% of children); “difficult” (about 10% of children); and, “slow-to-warm-up” (about 15% of children). Other children fall into some combination of the three types.

Children are classified as “easy” if they are easygoing, playful, predictable, adaptable, approachable, mildly or moderately sensitive, and generally positive in mood. They cry less and are soothed more easily. Easy children are generally a joy to care for and elicit positive feelings on the part of parents and caregivers.

“Difficult” children are just the opposite. They have erratic eating and sleeping patterns, they tend to be irritable, and they are harder to care for. They tend to be highly active, often refusing to nap. They adapt more slowly to changes in routine, and they tend to withdraw from new people or situations. They have short attention spans and are not easily distracted. They are highly sensitive and intense, and they spend more of the time in a negative mood. They tend to cry longer and harder and not easily comforted, and they are prone to temper tantrums. These children require understanding, patience, and consistency. “Difficult” babies tend to make parents feel inadequate, and they elicit less positive attention from caregivers. (Black, 1996)

The “slow-to-warm-up” child is often called shy. They are moody and adapt slowly to change and withdraw from new situations. These children have mild positive or negative reactions to caregivers, and they may resist physical displays of affection (such as cuddling). If pressured to join a group before he is ready to do so, the slow-to-warm-up child will cling to the parent or caregiver. (Black, 1996)

The infant’s temperament is either a good fit or a poor fit with that of the mother. When temperaments match, it is easier for the mother to be attuned to the child’s needs. When temperaments differ, interactions between mother and baby are, at times, less rewarding. Regardless of temperament, children need positive and responsive parenting. (Black, 1996) While challenging, even “difficult” babies can thrive if the mother is adaptable, resourceful, and resilient. (Hoghughi, 2004)

These individual differences, according to noted pediatrician T. Berry Brazelton, influence parents as much as parents’ expectations influence their babies. As parents come to know their baby during the first year of life, the stage is set for a lifelong relationship that is unlike any other. (Amundson, 1989) As children grow, the degree to which they demonstrate the nine traits that make up temperament determines the degree to which they will get along with others. In addition, perceptions of these traits on the part of others and their subsequent reactions contribute to the child’s self-esteem. (Black, 1996) Over time, and within the limits of the child’s innate temperament, parents can help their child to become a self-confident, independent, and responsible adult. Authoritative parenting techniques work well for children of all temperaments.

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References

Amundson, K. (1989). Parenting Skills: Bringing Out the Best in Your Child. Arlington, VA: American Association of School Administrators.

Black, J. and Puckett, M. (1996). The Young Child: Development from Prebirth Through Age Eight (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Merrill.

Dodson, F. and Alexander, A. (1986). Your Child: Birth to Age Six. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Hoghughi, M. and Long, N. (2004). Handbook of Parenting: Theory and Research for Practice. London: Sage Publications.