Temper Tantrums in Young Children: 2. Tantrum Duration and Temporal Organization

Abstract

This article completes the analysis of parental narratives of tantrums had by 335 children aged 18 to 60 months. Modal tantrum durations were 0.5 to 1 minute; 75% of the tantrums lasted 5 minutes or less. If the child stamped or dropped to the floor in the first 30 seconds, the tantrum was likely to be shorter and the likelihood of parental intervention less. A novel analysis of behavior probabilities that permitted grouping of tantrums of different durations converged with our previous statistically independent results to yield a model of tantrums as the expression of two independent but partially overlapping emotional and behavioral processes: Anger and Distress. Anger rises quickly, has its peak at or near the beginning of the tantrum, and declines thereafter. Crying and comfort-seeking, components of Distress, slowly increase in probability across the tantrum. This model indicates that tantrums can provide a window on the intense emotional processes of childhood.

Behavior problems in young children from low‐income families: The development of a new screening tool

“…As expected, child age was significantly related to level of challenging behavior, with the highest mean challenging behavior scores occurring at age 2 years. This finding is consistent with previous research on the development of clinical behavior problems (Campbell, 2002) and with research on typical behavioral development that has reported that 75% of children exhibit aggression and tantrums by age 2 years (Potegal, Kosorok, & Davidson, 2003). Gender differences found on the Challenging Behavior factor suggest that the average reported level of challenging behavior is higher for boys than it is for girls; these differences were largest in children ages 2, 4, and 5 years.…”

Behavioral Interventions for Anger, Irritability, and Aggression in Children and Adolescents

“…Temper tantrums that include crying, stomping, pushing, hitting, and kicking are common in 1-4-year-old children and range in frequency from 5 to 9 times per week with an average duration of 5-10 minutes (Potegal et al 2003). The intensity and number of tantrums tend to decrease with age, although typically developing children continue to outwardly display anger and frustration, behaviors that parents often label as tantrums.…”

Preventative Behavioral Parent Training: A Preliminary Investigation of Strategies for Preventing At-Risk Children From Developing Later Conduct Problems

“…However, it is within development norms for children up to age 3 or 4 to tantrum on the average of once per day (Potegal et al, 2003). In addition, tantrums are reported as occurring among 75% of 3-to 5-year-old children, with rates decreasing to 21% among nonclinical samples of 6-to 8-year-old children (Bhatia et al, 1990).…”

“…For the purpose of this study, noncompliance will be defined as refusal to initiate an appropriate response within five seconds following a viable, parental command . Similarly, tantrums broadly refer to a wide range of disruptive behaviors or emotional outbursts displayed by children in response to unmet needs or desires (Potegal, Kosorok, & Davidson, 2003 In contrast, the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder (CD) are consistent with more severe behaviors displayed along the CPS spectrum. Specifically, CD consists of aggressive and antisocial behaviors that include violations of the rights of others or deviations from major age-appropriate norms.…”