The authors describe the development and initial validation of a home-based version of the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery (Lab-TAB), which was designed to assess childhood temperament using a comprehensive series of emotion-eliciting behavioral episodes. This paper provides researchers with general guidelines for assessing specific behaviors using the Lab-TAB and for forming behavioral composites that correspond to commonly researched temperament dimensions. We used mother ratings and independent post-visit observer ratings to provide validity evidence in a community sample of 4.5 year-old children. 12 Lab-TAB behavioral episodes were employed, yielding 24 within-episode temperament components that collapsed into 9 higher-level composites (Anger, Sadness, Fear, Shyness, Positive Expression, Approach, Active Engagement, Persistence, and Inhibitory Control). These dimensions of temperament are similar to those found in questionnaire-based assessments. Correlations among the 9 composites were low to moderate, suggesting relative independence. As expected, agreement between Lab-TAB measures and post-visit observer ratings was stronger than agreement between the Lab-TAB and mother questionnaire. However, for Active Engagement and Shyness, mother ratings did predict child behavior in the Lab-TAB quite well. Findings demonstrate the feasibility of emotioneliciting temperament assessment methodologies, suggest appropriate methods for data aggregation into trait-level constructs, and set some expectations for associations between Lab-TAB dimensions and the degree of cross-method convergence between the Lab-TAB and other commonly used temperament assessments. KeywordsTemperament; Children; Behavioral Assessment; Scale Construction; Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery (Lab-TAB) Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jeffrey R. Gagne, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, 1202 West Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53706-1611., jgagne@wisc.edu. Jeffrey R. Gagne, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin; Carol A. Van Hulle, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin; Nazan Aksan, Department of Psychology, Koc University; Marilyn J. Essex, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin; H. Hill Goldsmith, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin. Nazan Aksan is now at Department of Psychology, University of Iowa. Publisher's Disclaimer:The following manuscript is the final accepted manuscript. It has not been subjected to the final copyediting, fact-checking, and proofreading required for formal publication. It is not the definitive, publisher-authenticated version. The American Psychological Association and its Council of Editors disclaim any responsibility or liabilities for errors or omissions of this manuscript version, any version derived from this manuscript by NIH, or other third parties. The published version is available at www.apa.org/pubs/journals/HEA NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptPsychol Assess. Author manuscript; available ...

Inhibitory control (IC) is a dimension of child temperament that involves the self-regulation of behavioral responses under some form of instruction or expectation. Although IC is posited to appear in toddlerhood, the voluntary control of emotions such as anger begins earlier. Little research has analyzed relations between emotional development in infancy and later emerging IC. We examined phenotypic associations and genetic and environmental influences on parent-and laboratory-assessed anger and IC in a twin sample from 12 to 36 months of age. Typically, twins with low levels of IC had high levels of anger. Behavioral genetic findings confirmed significant genetic influences on anger and IC as assessed by parents, and on lab-based anger assessments. Shared environmental factors contributed to twin similarity on lab-assessed anger and IC at 36 months. Phenotypic covariance between anger and IC was largely due to overlapping genetic factors for parent ratings, and environmental factors in the laboratory.Inhibitory control (IC) is a feature of child temperament involving the self-regulation of behavioral responses under some form of instruction or expectation (Goldsmith, 1996;Kochanska, Murray, Jacques, Koenig, & Vandegeest, 1996;Rothbart, 1989a;Rothbart, Ahadi, Hershey & Fisher, 2001). Classic examples of IC include the ability to refrain from touching a hot stove, or from reaching for a cookie jar on a shelf, in the presence of an adult who has voiced a warning. Children who develop typical levels of IC are able to successfully inhibit behavior when necessary. Conversely, low IC often results in impulsive behavior. Early IC is significant because children with typically developing IC have fewer cognitive difficulties, more stable socio-emotional development, and less behavioral maladjustment. Inhibitory Control and Early TemperamentAccording to many theorists, temperament describes early appearing behavioral and emotional tendencies, refers to individual differences in both reactivity and self-regulation, is considered relatively stable within broad developmental periods, tends to form the emotional core of personality traits, and is generally considered to be strongly biologically influenced (Goldsmith et al., 1987;Reed, Pien & Rothbart, 1984;Rothbart & Ahadi, 1994;Rothbart & Derryberry, 1981). IC abilities become apparent around two years of age, and Correspondence to: Jeffrey R. Gagne, jgagne@wisc.edu. NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptDev Sci. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2012 January 1. NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript continue to develop in early childhood (Kochanska et al., 1996;Rothbart, 1989a). Many temperament researchers consider IC to be a major component of effortful control (EC), a less differentiated, earlier appearing temperament factor that involves the child's ability to engage in self-regulation (Eisenberg et al., 2001;2004;Lemery-Chalfant, Doelger, & Goldsmith, 2008). EC is theorized to appear between 6 and 12 months of age (Kochanska,...

Twin studies suggest that parent ratings of temperament exaggerate differences between twins. The present study examined whether such contrast effects also operate for nontwin siblings. The activity level (AL) and shyness of 95 nontwin sibling pairs (ages 3 to 8 years) were assessed via parent ratings and objective measures (actigraph and observer ratings). Siblings showed no resemblance in either parent-rated AL or shyness; however, sibling resemblance for actigraph AL and observer-rated shyness was substantial. Thus, parents do contrast their nontwin siblings when rating these 2 temperament dimensions. Moreover, the importance of sibling differences in temperament to the sibling relationship and differential maternal treatment varied across the different measures of AL and shyness, suggesting that parent perceptions may play a role in these associations.

Background To investigate links between inhibitory control (IC) and behavior problems in early childhood, as well as genetic and environmental covariance between these two constructs. Methods Parent and laboratory ratings of IC and parent ratings of externalizing and ADHD problem behaviors were administered at 24 months of age on a sample of 291 same-sex twin pairs (131 MZ, 160 DZ). Results There were significant phenotypic associations between both IC assessments and the two areas of behavioral maladjustment (correlations ranged from −.13 to −.57). Multivariate analyses revealed that phenotypic covariance between IC and behavior problems could be substantially explained by common genetic influences (genetic correlations ranged from −.30 to −.74). Parent ratings of IC showed higher phenotypic and genetic correlations with behavior problems than lab ratings of IC. Conclusions This study is the first to examine the etiology of the covariance between IC and related behavioral difficulties in toddlerhood. Findings suggest that low levels of IC can be considered a genetic risk factor for the development of early emerging behavior problems.

Inhibitory control (IC) is a dimension of child temperament that emerges in toddlerhood and involves the ability to regulate behavior in response to instructions or expectations. In general, children with low levels of IC have more cognitive and social difficulties, and higher levels of problem behaviors. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research on the heritability of this important behavioral dimension. The present study used a twin design to examine the extent to which genetic and environmental factors contribute to individual differences in IC. Laboratory and parent assessments of IC were conducted on 294 same-sex twin pairs (133 MZ, 161 DZ) at 24 months of age. Model-fitting analyses showed that genetic factors accounted for 38 and 58% of the variance in laboratory-and parent-rated IC, respectively. Multivariate genetic analyses also revealed that the covariance between observed and parent-assessed IC could be predominantly explained by common genetic influences.