Temperament and Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

Extensive theoretical and empirical work has outlined the importance of temperament in developmental psychopathology. This chapter focuses on recent advances in the conceptualization and measurement of temperament, including the progress that has been made in empirical work that has enabled researchers to test several proposed models of psychopathology. We first introduce the concept of temperament and discuss a series of agreed‐on principles. The next section includes consideration of the structure of temperament, which includes a review of contemporary theoretical models. We follow this with a discussion of the various measurement approaches to the study of temperament. Preceding the review of recent empirical work on temperament and psychopathology, we outline the proposed links between temperament and psychopathology. Following the literature review, we discuss the biological underpinnings of temperament and their associations to developmental psychopathology. Finally, we conclude the chapter with a discussion of the translational implications of these findings and suggest directions for future research.

Trajectories of mothers’ emotional availability: relations with infant temperament in predicting attachment security

“…Surgency/Extraversion is identified by high vocal reactivity, engaging with rather than withdrawing from novelty, impulsivity, and strong positive affect (Stifter & Dollar, 2016). Orienting/regulation is identified by the ability to focus attention and regulate behavior and is a developmental precursor to effortful control that first emerges in toddlerhood.…”

“…Orienting/regulation is identified by the ability to focus attention and regulate behavior and is a developmental precursor to effortful control that first emerges in toddlerhood. Finally, negative affectivity is identified by sadness, fear, anger, distress to limitations, and reduced ability to soothe (Shiner et al, 2012; Stifter & Dollar, 2016). All three of these factors were examined in the present study as potential moderators of relations between mothers' bedtime EA with infants and security of infant-mother attachment at 12 months.…”

Exuberant and inhibited children: Person-centered profiles and links to social adjustment.

“…Temperament theory and research are often considered a promising avenue for understanding pathways toward children’s psychological and social adjustment by highlighting that variation in children’s temperament influences the processes that support or hinder adaptive developmental trajectories (Stifter & Dollar, 2016). Temperament is commonly conceptualized as reflecting constitutionally-based, relatively stable individual differences in reactivity and regulation within the realms of affect, activity, and attention (Goldsmith et al, 1987).…”

“…Although inhibited and exuberant children are at risk for maladjustment, not all of these children go on to develop later difficulties (Stifter & Dollar, 2016). In fact, studies have revealed only a modest association between behavioral inhibition and internalizing behaviors and social withdrawal, including some studies that do not find this relation (Schwartz, Snidman, & Kagan, 1996; Stifter et al, 2008).…”

Trait Impulsivity/Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder A Genetic Liability for Criminality

“…This developmental pathway may account for most individuals who engage in lifelong delinquent behavior" [9]. Second, this finding receives impressive support from the research that strongly links impairments in self-control --which can be broadly defined as the ability to flexibly control/ regulate attention, behavior, and emotion in the service of valued goals and standards --to juvenile and adult criminal behavior [15,16]. Indeed, self-control may be the single most important variable in explaining developmental origins of antisocial behavior [17,18].…”