Temperament
Tools
Promoting “Goodness of Fit”
A Manual for Early Childhood
Professionals:
Temperament Tools to Support the
Social and Emotional Development
of Young Children
A Project of the Simms-Mann Institute for Education and Community Development
December 2013
1
Dear Reader:
It is recommended that you start using the temperament tools project by first reviewing the
contents of the manual. Take the time to read the background material on temperament and
temperament traits. This is helpful in familiarizing the reader with the topic.
The list of materials includes:
 A DVD that contains three Power Point presentations and a Prezi on Temperament. Each
PowerPoint or Prezi is designed for a different audience.
 Forms and handouts
You can approach this material in the following order:
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Read the information on the concept of “goodness-of Fit” and why this is important to support
in the home and classroom.
Take time to consider the variety of ways this information could prove most helpful to you and
your staff and the parents with whom you work.
Make a point to discuss the topic with staff and your parent group representatives and plan
accordingly for staff development and parent education events. Consider use of the videos and
Prezi for group trainings and or individual viewing.
Make sure the written materials you use are translated into the languages reflective of the
families of the children enrolled. All materials can be distributed as handouts or for display on a
parent or staff bulletin board.
Visit the Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (CECMC) IT3 web site.
Familiarize yourself with the IT3 Tool and complete the tool. Your practice in using the tool will
allow you to see how user friendly it is and the wide variety of recommendations it offers for
establishing “goodness-of-fit.”
We recommend that you let us know how these materials proved helpful for you and if you
have any feedback or recommendations for their future use. We can be reached at
info@simmsmanninstitute.org
Sincerely,
The Simms Mann Institute for Education and Community Development
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Contents
Credits ............................................................................................................................................4
Section 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................5
The Tools .....................................................................................................................................6
Rationale .....................................................................................................................................7
Audience .....................................................................................................................................8
Principles .....................................................................................................................................8
Section 2 Temperament ................................................................................................................9
What is Temperament? ..............................................................................................................9
The Nine Temperament Traits ....................................................................................................9
The Three Basic Temperament Types ......................................................................................10
Section 3 “Goodness of Fit” .........................................................................................................11
What is “Goodness of Fit?” .......................................................................................................11
Why is “Goodness of Fit” Important? .......................................................................................12
Benefits of Creating “Goodness of Fit” .....................................................................................12
Tips for Creating “Goodness of Fit” at Home ...........................................................................13
Tips for Creating Goodness of Fit in the Classroom .................................................................14
Section 4 Why Use Temperament Tools? ...................................................................................15
Temperament Influences Family Life .......................................................................................16
Understanding Temperament Can Improve Family Life ..........................................................17
Temperament Influences a Child’s Success in Early care and Education Settings ...................17
Using Temperament Tools ........................................................................................................18
The IT3 Process Overview……………………………………………………………………………………..…………….19
Step 1 Developing Effective Family Partnerships .....................................................................20
Step 2 Initial Temperament Discussion ....................................................................................21
Step 3 The IT3 Process ..............................................................................................................22
Section 5 Summary and Closing…………………………………………………………………………….……….……..23
References…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….……..24
Appendix Resources ....................................................................................................................25
Sample Meeting Invitation Letter to Parents ...........................................................................25
Temperament Traits- Adapted from the IT3-(CECMHC) ..........................................................26
How the 9 Temperament Traits Affect Behavior......................................................................27
Responsive Caregiving Temperament Based Recommendations ............................................29
Some Temperament Triggers for Tantrums and Ways to Prevent Tantrums ..........................30
Toilet Learning and Temperament ...........................................................................................31
Temperament Combinations Most Frequently Observed in Clinical Settings .........................32
Temperament Tools: Initial Parent Questionnaire ...................................................................33
Temperament Tools: Follow-up Questionnaire .......................................................................34
Books/Materials about Temperament for Parents and Professionals .....................................35
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Temperament Tools:
Promoting “Goodness of Fit”
Credits
Project Manager Kimberly A. Karkos, M.A.
Project Contributors:
Diane Moore
Johanna Pimentel
Belia Soto
Tanya McMahan
Jennifer Conter
Roberto Rodriguez
Alicia Ramirez
Alejandra Rodriguez
Anna Pando-Michel
Christina Sandoval
Irene Jefferson
Sandi Walters
Judi Thomas
Simms Mann Institute’s Program Staff
Temperament Tools: Promoting “Goodness of Fit” was developed by and is the
property of the Simms Mann Institute for Education and Community Development
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise stated, no part of this curriculum kit may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and
recording, for any purpose without the express written permission of the Simms Mann Institute for
Education and Community Development 9320 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 300 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 (310)
246-0881 Phone, (310) 275-1897 FAX
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Introduction
SECTION 1
This manual was created to promote a greater understanding of the role that temperament
plays in the behavior of children, and to serve as a resource for all early education
professionals (Directors, Program Supervisors, and Parent Liaisons) who work with parents. It
is hoped that the information contained in the following pages will be used to support parents
understanding of the uniqueness of their child and the way each approaches the world.
Further that such information will promote “goodness-of-fit” in the home and in early care and
education settings, leading to positive, long term outcomes for both the parent and child.
This project was made possible by the Simms Mann Foundation for Education and Community
Development and the author is Kim Karkos, Professor of Child Development at Ventura
College. The information contained herein is reflective of over 60 years of behavioral research
by noted scientists in the field of human behavior. Additionally, the author brings over 40
years of her professional experience working as an ECE program Director with children and
families to bear on the topic. It was the painful experience of seeing how many children were
misunderstood by parents and misinterpreted by caregivers by virtue of their temperamental
style that the author embarked on a one-year project to discover if this information would in
fact be useful to providers and parents. An additional goal of the project was to determine if a
user friendly method could be devised to equip parents with strategies that would promote
attachment, bonding and “Goodness of Fit” both in homes and caregiving settings. Research
clearly documents this connection between secure attachment with caregivers and later
positive outcomes for children, including higher levels of self-esteem and school achievement.
After interviewing dozens of early education professionals, over 200 child development
students and over thirty parents it became abundantly clear that all groups had limited
knowledge of temperament and lacked an understanding of how dynamically the unique
temperamental characteristics children are born with influence behavior. Further, there was a
unanimous desire from all those queried to learn more and to participate in the project. The
bright idea became the creation of a manual that would guide anyone working with parents of
challenging children, who were not easily understood and who were having difficulties “fitting”
into their early education settings. This manual could outline a working method to support
parents in learning more about temperament, its bidirectional influence on each child and
parent, and devise a set of strategies to support parent/child interactions. In a year’s time, this
method was crafted and the process is outlined as a step by step for you in the manual.
Additionally, three power point presentations on the topic of Temperament were created. One
designed for parents, the other for home based childcare providers and lastly one for center
based staff. These are all available in the sleeve of the manual and it is our hope that they will
be used as parent education and staff development tools. Lastly, the manual offers charts and
further information on temperament that can be used as handouts and/or further reference.
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The Tools
This Manual was designed for early education professionals, parents, and other caregivers.
As with so many issues, knowledge breeds understanding, and with understanding come the
strength and ability to handle different situations. Minor adjustments to parenting styles can
make a tremendous difference in their effectiveness. For a parent, the knowledge that their
child’s temperament style colors their approach to the world, and affects their social,
intellectual, and family interactions may motivate parents to make the modifications necessary
to achieve harmony within the home and family relationships. For caregivers, we know that
there is no “one-size-fits all“approach to fostering the development of well adjusted,
independent, empathetic and productive children. However, child development experts have
identified practical, easy ways to help the children in our care thrive, with consideration of
temperamental styles. We need to be aware of this information and let it inform our practice.
Perhaps it is time, as well, for early education professionals to pay more attention to parents’
understanding of their young children’s temperament and personality and how these
perceptions do or do not influence how they relate to their children. To this end,
Temperament Tools: Supporting “Goodness of Fit” was created.
The Temperament Tools contained in this manual include:
• Detailed information on temperament including the 9 temperament traits.
• Description of and recommendations for increasing “Goodness of Fit”.
• Rationale for using temperament information to enhance supportive childrearing
and caregiving.
• A step-by-step method to use with parents of children who are exhibiting
challenging behaviors, designed to guide, empower families and promote
“Goodness of Fit”.
• A variety of temperament handouts that can be used for parent education and/or
staff development. (See Appendix)
• Three Power Point presentations. One created for home based providers, one for
center-based staff and another designed for parents.
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Rationale:
In the last 60 years, scientific studies have shown that children’s health and development are
influenced by temperament. The realization that many behavioral tendencies in children are
inborn—and not the result of bad parenting—is perhaps one of the most important insights
parents gain from learning more about temperament. This manual acknowledges the major impact
that a child's temperament has on behavior. Further, that the “fit” between the infant and parent
in temperament can either positively or negatively affect the attachment process. Chess and
Thomas (1987) state that harmony or agreement between children and their caregivers’
temperaments, or a “goodness of fit”, leads to “optimal positive development” for the child, while
a poor match can lead to maladaptive functioning (pp.20-21). What do the findings on attachment
and temperament mean for families and early education professionals? First, it is vital that strong
emotional bonds are developed between the child, family members and caregivers. This requires a
commitment of time, effort and attention and continuity in the adults providing the care. In a
child-care setting, we know that it is best for a child to have the same caregiver rather than be
shuffled among numerous people. It is also important to recognize that parenting and caregiving
practices may need to be different for different children depending on their temperament.
Families and teachers need to be sensitive to the characteristics and needs of individual children,
especially if the child’s temperament is different from theirs, and respect that individuality rather
than trying to treat all children the same way (Gonzalez-Mena, 2006; Santrock, 1998).
This manual was created to assist you as an early care and education provider to better support
parents in understanding the important role that temperament plays in influencing how their child
approaches the world and the bidirectional influence it plays in childrearing.
It is our hope that the following temperament tools will:
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Assist you as the early education professional to support and strengthen families, build
understanding and promote responsivity. There is growing evidence that cumulative
exposure to highly responsive parenting styles throughout the early childhood period may
provide a variety of important benefits for the child in terms of language, cognitive, social,
and emotional development (Landry SH, Smith KE, Swank PR. 2006)
Support parents in understanding how these adult-child similarities and differences in
temperament traits may affect “goodness of fit”
Give parents and caregivers an array of simple strategies that they can use to best support
the unique temperament of their child
Serve as a supportive modality that can aid both parents and program staff in
understanding why children, “do what they do”, which can help adults meet the needs of
children with more fulfilling results
The Temperament Tools outlined in this manual include:
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Information on temperament
Rationale for working with parents
Step by step method for working individually with parents to support the process of
developing “goodness of fit”, including instructions on the use of the IT3 Temperament
Tool -Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Appendix of forms, templates and additional temperament related information and
resources
7
Audience
This resource was created as a guide for early care and education professionals. Such
professionals include center based Directors, Site Supervisors, program Managers, center and
home based child care providers or anyone else working on a one-on-one with parents. The
term “parent” is used to refer to any adult who is the primary caregiver for an infant and/or
toddler and who provides ongoing support for the child in his or her home environment.
“Parent” may refer to biological/adoptive parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, foster parents,
or any other steady presence in the child’s life within the child's home(s). The term "caregiver"
is used to refer to any adult that provides ongoing care for a child or support to families
outside of the child's home such as a teacher, early care and education provider or day care
aide. The term "young children" in this resource refers to infants and toddlers birth through
age three.
Principles of This Work…
The following “Temperament Tools” are predicated on the belief that:
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Quality care in the early years of a child’s life is critical for optimal development and
provides the foundation for success in school and in life.
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Parents are effective mediators of change in their children, therefore we support the
parent directly as the “child’s first teacher.”
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Each family is unique and deserves to be highly respected, valued, and supported.
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Parenting skills can be learned at any time and that can lead to improved relationships
and build a child’s self-esteem.
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Building upon existing strengths, we help parents to become critical thinkers,
intentional about their parenting decisions, and advocates for their families.
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This work is meant to empower parents and is offered in a safe atmosphere without
blame or criticism.
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Early care and education professionals are in a strategic position to assist parents in
understanding their child’s temperament and support them in adapting their parenting
style in support of “Goodness of Fit.”
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Temperament
SECTION 2
What is Temperament?
Temperament consists of biologically based, inborn individual variations in behaviors that are
present early in life and prove to be relatively stable across situations and time. While there
are several theoretical models, this project considered the work of Thomas, Chess, and Birch
(1968), derived from the New York Longitudinal Study (NYLS) that began in 1956 and followed
141 infants for nearly 10 years and reported nine traits of temperament. In this model,
temperament is considered the stylistic component of behavior, the “how” of behavior as
differentiated from motivation, the “why” of behavior and abilities, and the “what” of
behavior.
The 9 Temperament Traits
An analysis of NYLS behavioral data yielded nine dimensions of temperament on which
individuals can vary from low to high. The 9 traits include activity level, rhythmicity,
adaptability, approach-withdrawal, sensitivity, intensity of reaction, distractibility, quality of
mood, and a double category of attention span and persistence (Chess & Thomas, 1991; 1996).
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Activity Level: Amount of movement and body activity
Rhythmicity (Biological Rhythms): Regularity of such functions as sleep-wake cycle,
hunger, bowel elimination
Adaptability: How quickly or slowly one adapts to a change in routine or overcomes an
initial negative response
Approach/Withdrawal: How one responds to a new situation or other stimuli
Sensitivity Threshold: How sensitive the child is to potentially irritating stimuli
Intensity of Reaction: The energy level of mood expression, whether positive or
negative
Distractibility: How easily one can be distracted from an activity like feeding or play by
some unexpected stimulus such as the ring of a phone or someone entering the room
Quality of Mood: The amount of pleasant, cheerful and openly friendly behavior
(Positive Mood), as contrasted with fussy, crying and unfriendliness (Negative Mood)
Attention Span and Persistence: How long one will persist at a difficult activity without
giving up
These nine temperamental traits are clustered to form three temperament types: easy, slowto warm-up, and difficult (Chess & Thomas, 1996).
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Three Basic Temperament Types
Chess, Thomas, and colleagues identified three temperament constellations or “types.”
Children with easy temperaments formed 40% of the NLYS sample, Slow- to warm up 15%, and
finally, “difficult temperament” represented 10%, (Chess & Thomas, 1991, 1996). It is
important to note that all individuals do not necessarily fall into one of the noted three
temperament types (Chess & Thomas, 1991). In fact, 35% of the NYLS sample did not fall into
one of these three temperament groups but fell into one of several intermediate categories of
temperament (Chess & Thomas, 1996).
"Easy or Flexible”
Easy babies are generally adaptable, exhibit a positive mood, and exhibit
average activity levels and regular body functions. Individuals who are
considered “Easy or Flexible” are high in adaptability, low in frustration,
calm, and moderate in activity levels and intensity, positive in mood, interested in new
experiences, and regular in such biological rhythms as sleeping and eating habits.
"Difficult or Feisty"
Difficult babies exhibit more negative moods, irregular body functions
(feeding, sleeping and elimination patterns) and have difficulty adapting to
new situations. Individuals who are considered “Difficult or Feisty” tend to
be intense in their responses (e.g. screaming or loud laughter), irregular in
feeding and sleeping habits, low in adaptability, easily upset and negative in mood. They show
irregularity in activity level, withdrawal in response to new situations, and exhibit high levels of
frustration.
"Slow-to-Warm-Up or Shy"
Slow-to warm-up babies have initial difficulties with new situations and
routines but with time and sensitive care will often adapt. Individuals, who
are considered “Shy or Slow to- Warm-Up” exhibit mild intensity of
responses, are low in adaptability, respond negatively to change or
withdraw in new situations, are cautious and are shy with new people.
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“Goodness of Fit”
SECTION 3
What is “Goodness of Fit”?
The compatibility of an individual’s temperament with their surrounding environment is referred
to as “goodness of fit.” Some temperaments and environments seem to naturally “fit together”
while others do not. One of the key components to helping children feel good about who they
are and successful throughout life, is creating environments that accommodate their
temperaments.
There are two types of “Goodness of Fit” -- how a temperament trait interacts with the
environment and how it interacts with the people in that environment. Any trait in and of itself
is not a problem; rather, it is the interaction that determines the ‘acceptability’ of that trait.
The “behavioral fit” describes how well the behavior fits with the environment. When there is a
match between the demands and expectations of the environment and the child’s temperament
and abilities, there is a “good fit.” This makes success and high self-esteem more likely. When
there is not a good fit, there is a greater risk for difficulties for the child.
For example, if a very active child lives in a small apartment vs. living in a house with a large
yard, there may be a clash between the child’s temperament and his environment, making
things difficult for the parent and the child. Similarly, a very active child in a very traditional and
more restrictive preschool setting might run into trouble abiding by the classroom rules.
The “emotional fit” describes how successfully the child’s temperament fits with the people in
his environment and how likable the people in the environment consider the child to be. For
example, if a very active parent has a child who does not enjoy physical activity, the parent can
feel upset that he has to beg his child just to go and play. Or, if a parent who is very social and
enjoys being around groups of people and gatherings has a child who has a really tough time
entering a group of people and is very shy or slow to warm, this parent may become frustrated
and angry with the child for not being more friendly and outgoing.
It is important to note that all adults (parents, teachers, caregivers etc.) have their own unique
temperaments that can sometimes be very different from the child’s. Sometimes this clash in
temperaments can be the reason why a parent or another adult may be struggling with a child. It
may be harder to understand a child with a very different temperament from us, and we may
have less patience to deal with a temperament we don’t understand.
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Why is “Goodness of Fit” Important?
In terms of outcome, what appears to be more important than a child’s temperament is how parents and
other caregivers respond to it. A temperamentally active child can do well with parents who support her
curiosity and “zest” for life, but could have problems in a more rigid family or a classroom with limited
space and lack of time and space for active play. It is this goodness of fit between child temperament and
parental/caregiver demands and expectations that can cause struggles.
Understanding the concept of goodness of fit can indicate whether some changes may be needed, so that
there is a better match between the child and his environment. It allows us to approach a situation with
more empathy so that we can help ourselves and our children understand and manage responses to
certain things. It can help us to have more realistic expectations of children. Sometimes just knowing a
child is more challenging temperamentally can help adults to understand that it is not their fault, and that
it is not the result of “bad” parenting, teaching or caregiving.
The idea is to help parents recognize temperament and put both themselves and their children in
situations or activities that “fit” for them so that they can feel more successful. For example, we can
provide opportunities for very active children to be in programs that will allow them to be physically
active for longer periods of the day and for less active children to be in group care that may offer less
strenuous activity and movement opportunities.
Benefits of Creating “Goodness of Fit”
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Where there is goodness of fit, there is more harmony.
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When parents/caregivers create a “goodness of fit” between the child and planned activities, it
becomes a win-win for everyone. This involves taking into account the child’s temperament
and what he needs in order to feel comfortable in a particular setting.
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Parents, who are sensitive to their child's temperamental type and can recognize the child's
unique strengths, will make family life smoother. For example, when faced with a new
situation, a parent of a slow to warm up child may need to be patient and allow him more time
to assess a situation. A difficult child may need advance rehearsal of the expected behavior to
help her deal with the new situation. Goodness of fit can lead to less recurring conflicts.
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Goodness of fit builds trust, acceptance, bonding, and secure attachment relationships.
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Teachers and caregivers can be more responsive to individual children in their care.
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Children’s self-esteem and self-efficacy is increased.
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Tips for Creating a “Goodness of
Fit” in the Home
 Know and understand the child’s temperament and their
usual way of reacting in situations.
 Know your own temperament and your typical ways of
responding to your children.
 Identify how your temperaments fit and don’t fit together. Do you tend to react mildly
to things while the child has intense reactions? Are you both highly sensitive to sounds
and tastes? Do you adapt quickly while your child has a tough time adapting to new
routines?
 Consider how your reaction to the child affects their behavior. What is your response
when the child’s temperament clashes with your expectations? How do your reactions
impact the outcome of your interactions?
 Try to respond more sensitively and effectively to the child. Be aware of the language
you use and learn to re-frame some of the negative labels with positive ones.
 Look at the situation, including the physical environment and others’ temperaments,
and assess how well or not so well it fits with the child’s temperament. Change
schedules and physical surroundings to better fit the child’s temperament. For
example, if the child is highly active, plan a trip to the playground where the child can
run and climb before you head out to the store to go shopping.
 Anticipate each child’s needs and reactions. Work together to plan for successful
outcomes. For example, if the child is low on adaptability and slow to approach new
situations, prepare him in advance for new situations by being as specific and detailed
as you can about what he can expect.
 Help children learn ways they can help themselves “fit” better in all environments.
Teach each child about their temperament and about goodness of fit and what they
can do to manage both.
 Parents can create a “goodness of fit” between the child and planned activities so that
it becomes a win-win for everyone. This involves taking into account the child’s
temperament and what he needs in order to feel comfortable in a particular setting.
 If a child typically gets stressed in crowded places, visits to stores can be made during
their slowest hours.
 Do not force a child who has difficulty talking to strangers to talk to new people or
relatives they haven’t seen in a while. Give them time to feel comfortable – this is being
respectful of the child’s temperament and can avoid the child feeling badly about
himself.
This list is adapted from the Center for Parenting Education 2013
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Tips for Creating “Goodness of Fit” in
the Classroom
You can share the following information with classroom staff during a staff development
workshop on temperament or in individual meetings. Supporting staff to adapt to the
temperaments of the children in their care will help them to be more conscious and accepting of
personality and temperamental differences.
Rationale:
Temperament and goodness of fit are important concepts for early childhood professionals to
learn and use in daily interactions with children. Healthy social and personality development
occurs in young children when there is compatibility between the child and the demands and
expectations of the teacher and center environment. A teacher's understanding and respect for
children's temperaments are vital if her students are to thrive and develop.
When children’s needs are reflected in classrooms, both the children and the teachers are
happier. There is less conflict and frustration. Additionally, teachers are better able to be
responsive and children’s needs are met. When classrooms are adapted to temperaments, shortterm and long-term classroom goals for each child have a better chance of being realized. When
classrooms support growth and development, teachers feel fulfilled and are less likely to leave
their jobs. Teacher retention is synonymous with quality programming. Quality programs with
happy staff are more likely to be successful.
Strategies for Accommodating Children's Personalities
1. Take time to observe each child’s behavior- Write down children's likes and dislikes,
adjustments to new situations etc. to determine whether their behaviors were responses to a
novel activity or if they were generalized across other situations. The information from such
observations can help plan future activities, experiences, and classroom arrangements.
2. Consider classroom arrangement- Classrooms should be arranged and modified based
on careful observation of the different temperaments and accommodate the personality
variations of the children enrolled (Eddowes & Aldridge, 1990). For example, Stella, an early
childhood teacher, had several children in her class who were easily distracted. She rearranged
the room to create more activity centers that fit only one to two children. She also changed
other centers so that when children were working at them, they would have their backs to the
door or window. These minor changes helped the distractible children focus more effectively.
3. Provide a variety of open-ended activities to reflect children's differences - For
every classroom activity, plan alternatives and choices if at all possible. For instance, children
who are slow to warm up may not want to share during circle time. Provide alternate methods
of sharing, including drawing in a journal, and simply sharing with a friend or smaller group.
For example: Bertha’s students displayed a wide range of activity levels and attention spans.
14
To accommodate them, she provided projects and center activities that could be accomplished
with varying amounts of persistence and activity. In the puzzle area, for example, she placed
puzzles of different degrees of complexity. Additionally, she planned some projects that could
be completed within one activity time and other in-depth projects that took periods of several
days to complete.
4. Investigate non-school-related influences- A child's behavior may be caused by a
situational stressor (divorce, separation, moving etc.) versus their temperament. A conference
or discussion with the child’s caregivers may identify the root of the difficult behavior. (Please
see Appendix for example of a conference invitation to send to a parent.)
5. Consider your own temperament traits and the traits you prefer in childrenIdentify your preferences by making a list of children's behaviors which trouble you and which
you enjoy.
6. Evaluate your curriculum and teaching methods- We must ask ourselves if what we
teach and how we teach are flexible enough to accommodate all of the temperaments with
which we work. Evaluate your curriculum and teaching methods or, have a coworker evaluate
them for you.
7. Choose appropriate guidance techniques that take temperament differences
into account- A guidance technique that works for one child may not work with another.
Careful observation and anecdotal record keeping can help you guide young children's
behavior. Remember that children react differently to guidance strategies. A child who is easily
adaptable and exhibits low reaction intensity is most often obedient. A slightly disapproving
look from a teacher will cause such a child to adjust his behavior. With other children in the
class, this strategy may prove ineffective. Therefore, the teacher must determine which
strategies will work with each child.
8. Share information with parents- As their child’s first teacher, parents can share much
about their child's temperament. Sometimes a parent's description of his or her child is
different from the teacher’s perceptions. A working parent/child/teacher partnership can help
make transitions between home and school easier and less stressful. Additionally strategies
that work in the home environment may work in the classroom, and those that work in the
classroom may work in the home.
9. Remember: Children are more likely to reach their potential when teachers
work towards “Goodness of Fit” - Noteworthy is the fact that while a child's
temperament is affected by the teacher and the classroom setting, the teacher is also affected
by the child's temperament. Research suggests that teachers spend more time with easy
children because they are pleasant and positive. Teachers also spend more time with difficult
children to prevent and or address inappropriate behavior. Thus, slow-to-warm-up children
may "slip between the cracks". Children who are slow to warm up would most likely benefit
more than easy children from teachers' time and attention. Unfortunately, they are often
overlooked. (Keogh, 1986).
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Why Use Temperament Tools?
Section 4
Temperament Influences Family Life
Individual differences in temperament or behavioral styles
are important to recognize because they affect the nature
of the interactions among family members. Some children
adapt easily to family daily routines and get along well with
their siblings. Others, especially highly active intense
children have a more difficult time adjusting to everyday
demands, and their interactions with parents and siblings
may lead to friction and stress. Parenting is an interactive
situation. It is important to reiterate that parents, like children, also differ in temperament.
Some are quick and intense, while others are shy and slow to respond; some are flexible and
adaptable, and others are not. It is the "mix" between parent/child temperaments that has a
strong effect on family life, leading to positive interactions on the one hand or frustrations and
conflicts on the other.
A high-activity, intense child, for example may upset and irritate a quiet, slow-paced, reflective
parent. An active, quick-responding parent may be impatient with a slow-to-warm-up child,
whom the parent may see as lazy or indifferent. Sparks may fly when both parent and child are
intense and quick responding. Life at home is different for all children, and temperament is
one of the ingredients in the "fit" between child and family.
This manual is designed to provide professionals and parents with insight into temperament
tools that will promote “Goodness of Fit.” Through the process of partnering with families,
learning about temperament and administration of the IT3, individualized strategies are made
available for parents and caregivers to employ. Parents, who are sensitive to their child's
temperamental style and can recognize the child's unique strengths, can adapt their parenting
accordingly. For example:
 When faced with a new situation, a parent of a slow to warm up child may need to be
patient and allow him more time to assess a situation.
 A difficult child may need advance rehearsal of the expected behavior to help her deal
with the new situation.
16
Understanding Temperament Can Improve Family Life
Understanding a child's temperament provides a fresh way of thinking about the child and
childrearing.
First, it can reframe how parents interpret a child's behavior and affect the way they think
about the reasons for their child’s behavior. For example, a parent might view an active,
energetic, and approaching child who is into everything as "exuberant," rather than as "hyper"
or “difficult.” Or they might see a shy and slow-to-warm-up child as "sensitive" and
“thoughtful,” rather than as “unfriendly” and “unmotivated.” Parent responses are affected by
how they interpret their child's behavior. When you see your child's behavior as temperamentrelated rather than as due to willful misbehavior, you can reduce your negative reactions.
Second, it is important to note that thinking in temperament terms does not excuse a child's
unacceptable behavior, but does provide direction for responding to it.
Third, when a parent thinks about a child's behavior through the lens of temperament, it helps
them anticipate when and where there are apt to be problems. A shy and slow-to-warm child
does not like surprises or sudden changes in routines and is more comfortable when he knows
ahead of time what changes will occur, and when he is given time to adapt.
A family’s life is made up of a series of continuous interactions which affect the quality of the
family members’ daily lives, and individual differences in temperament among family
members are important factors in determining whether those interactions are positive and
pleasant or stressful. So, for parents, it is important to recognize individual differences in their
child's temperament and to understand the impact of their child’s temperament on other
family members. Awareness of individual differences in temperament provides a positive way
to prevent and manage problems that can result from a mismatch of behavioral styles within a
family.
Temperament Influences a Child’s Success in Early Care and
Education Settings
In preparing to work with young children, early education professionals most often learn about
cognitive, physical, social, and emotional developmental domains, but neglect to study
personality development (Aldridge & Cowles, 1990). The study of personality is important
because a child's temperament influences the teacher more than the child's intelligence
(Lerner & Lerner, 1986).
Though the original research on temperament traits in children focused primarily on inborn
tendencies (Bronfenbrenner, 1977), today environmental factors are considered as important
to a child's temperament development. For example, children with difficult temperaments
may actually come from difficult home environments. These children may be helped if their
temperaments are valued and their personalities supported. By creating classroom
environments that complement children's temperaments, early childhood professionals can
help children develop and reach their full potential.
17
As an early education program Director, Site Supervisor or Manager, or teacher or caregiver,
you are in a unique position to help families understand more about their own and their child’s
temperamental traits and how important that knowledge is in effective childrearing. Positive
traits can be enhanced and negative traits can be subdued. The child’s style of reaction,
however, cannot be changed.
Children who have a difficult time in our early childhood settings are often misunderstood and
their behaviors are interpreted incorrectly. Too often children who do not seem “to fit” either
because of high levels of impulsivity, irregular biological rhythms (eating or sleeping patterns),
inability to follow prescribed rules or adapt to the new environment, are asked to find
alternative care and we lose an opportunity to not only support that child’s growth but to
maintain enrollment as well.
It has been my experience that parents do want the best for their children and want their child
to be successful in their “School” or program once enrolled. Additionally when a child is asked
to leave, it may affect your program’s reputation in some negative way or another, and leaves
a mark on the mind and conscience of parents (“Maybe it’s my fault.”) Disenrollment can be
the “quick fix” but may not be the best alternative. And, there is no guarantee that the teacher
or caregiver was skilled at adapting their classroom and their expectations to the uniqueness
of that child.
Supporting staff and parents in their roles with children is an integral part of responsibility for
supervisors, yet this is a daunting task. And the numbers of children who are attending our
programs who exhibit challenging behaviors is on the rise. Teachers are stressed and parents
look to us for support. We now know that one research based intervention to strengthen
families and protect children from child abuse and neglect is increasing parent’s child
development knowledge on such topics as ages and stages and the important role individual
temperament traits and personality play in causing behavior.
The following information and recommendations in this manual are offered to assist you in the
process of creating “goodness of fit” in both the classroom and in home environments. To
reiterate, “goodness of fit” is simply defined as the compatibility between the environment
and a child's temperament (Thomas & Chess, 1977). Poorness of fit occurs when temperament
is not respected and accommodated.
Using Temperament Tools
There are several ways we can educate parents on the topic of temperament. It is always
valuable to share written information on the topic with parents since they may be unaware of
the subject and therefore limited in their ability to adapt their parenting to the needs of their
child. Recommendations for all parents can be added to a parent handbook or a newsletter, be
posted on a parent bulletin board or become a one-page handout that is offered to the
parents for further information/reference. Additionally, there is an on-line tool that was
utilized by the author with over a dozen parents in the last year that supports parents in
understanding the unique way that each parent and child approaches the world and designs
individualized strategies for parents to utilize in establishing “goodness-of-fit.”
18
The IT3 Process Overview
Parents of children with challenging behaviors are most often open and eager to working with
an early education professional to uncover the mystery of their child’s behavior. This
knowledge can be supportive to everyone concerned.
As a practitioner, you have the opportunity to support and empower the child’s primary
teacher/caregiver, the parent. Many children who are at risk of being asked to leave a
childcare program exhibit such difficult behaviors as: high levels of activity, sensitivity and
intensity, or exhibit negative moods, and low levels of adaptability.
There are several recommended steps in this process. We begin by listing the steps and go on
to describe each in greater detail.
#1 This method begins with creating a respectful and responsive working relationship with
each parent. When parents trust you and respect you, they are more apt to consider taking a
“closer look” at the behaviors of their child and be open to learning more about how they can
adapt their parenting to be most supportive. If a child is having difficulties, it is incumbent on
professionals to inform parents and invite them in to share information and learn more from
one another about the child’s functioning.
#2 The next step, once you have established a relationship, is to invite the parent to meet with
you and the child’s teacher to discuss possible strategies that will lead to a co-created plan of
action. How the professional handles this step is important since parents are most often
anxious about the meeting, the child’s behavior and fear repercussions. When professionals
are warm, respectful, informed and engage in open dialogue, parents are more at ease. At this
stage, more information is gathered about what is working or not working for the child at
home and in the caregiving setting. It is recommended that parents and teachers employ
consistent guidance strategies that are age appropriate and attainable for the child. For some
children, the combined efforts of and commitment from the significant adults in a child’s life to
support a child’s success will be enough. However, there are many parents and caregivers who
seek a deeper understanding of the “why” of a child’s behaviors, actions and reactions. The
mix of the child’s approach to the world is important to know since this style of responding
mixes with environments and the people in each environment. If the mix or match is
successful, there is goodness of fit and if not, poorness of fit. And, this is where many conflicts
arise. Taking a closer look at the child’s temperament traits will give parents and caregivers an
opportunity to understand the child in a deeper and more personal way. If using temperament
tools to take a closer look is agreed upon, we move into the next step.
#3 To look deeper at temperament (both child and parent), we recommend the use of the IT3.
Though there are other tools available, the use of this tool proved to be quite user friendly. It
is available for use online at no cost and provides a snapshot of “Goodness of Fit”
recommendations. My experience is that nearly all parents can see the value of learning more
about individual traits and discovering where there are similarities and differences. Since
19
parents have many responsibilities and are often pressed for time, the use of the Infant
Toddler Temperament Tool (IT3) is recommended. The tool is informative, easy to use and
delivers personalized strategies to further inform parents. The IT3 can be used by caregivers as
well, to promote a greater understanding of how temperament traits match. Additionally, the
tool provides a list of recommended strategies for supporting goodness of fit between the
adult using the tool and the child.
We transition into a fuller description of each step in the process below.
The Process:
Step 1 Developing Effective Family Partnerships
This method involves professionals partnering with families to obtain and utilize the best
strategies for the child. Strategies that the family plays a part in creating lead to more
favorable outcomes, more rewarding interpersonal experience and increased family
satisfaction. To get the best results, it is important to remember that the foundations of strong
partnerships are respectful practices that build trust. Trust is built on respectful responsive
interactions. Essential components of respectful practice include:

Recognizing and respecting our own and others' culture, language, beliefs and attitudes
without judgment

Holding what we see and hear as confidential

Recognizing and using the strengths of children and, families to support a positive
partnership

Supporting resilience. Multiple life stressors such as finances, health, work and housing
may reduce a parent's capacity to cope effectively with the stresses of child rearing.
Parents with resilience are generally able to cope on their own, but others may not know
how or where to seek help in times of trouble.

Communicating actively by gathering and sharing resources and regularly obtaining
feedback on progress
So, we begin this process by building a trusting relationship with all parents. Working together
with parents on behalf of their child is a sign of a good program. And the resultant “work” will
be successful to the extent that both parents’ and caregivers’ strategies are aligned.
If parents know that you really do care about them and the child, they are more likely to relate
to you and trust in a process such as looking closer at temperament. Relationship work begins
the first day that you meet the family and actively continues each day thereafter. The parents
who are most likely to be interested in looking at temperament have shy-slow-to warm
children or unpredictable children who are difficult to deal with.
20
When children do not “fit” into a group, the teachers will most often register concern or a
complaint that “perhaps” the child does not “fit” well into the program. Research suggests that
a “feisty child “who is “difficult to deal with” can take as much as 60% of a teacher’s time!
When parents are aware of their child’s temperament traits, they can adapt their parenting
accordingly. And as well, they can share this valuable information with their child’s caregiver.
If the teacher and Director decide that it is in the best interest of the child to have a parent
conference, there are several ways that you can contact the parent. In the enrollment
information many centers ask parents what their preferred method of contact is. For some, it
is via text, e-mail, US Mail, or a telephone call. Try as hard as possible to honor each parent’s
wishes. Make a note on the child’s file if the parent prefers that you don’t call them at work.
We have included a sample letter in the appendix for future reference.
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Step 2 Initial Temperament Discussion
It is recommended that parents and early education professionals work together on behalf of
each child and that all children are learning acceptable behaviors. We expect that each will
challenge authority and test boundaries. However, there are times when children’s behavior
puts them at risk for school failure, i.e. there appears to be a poor match between the child,
the caregiver or caregiving environment. To remediate the effects of “poorness-of-fit,” it may
be worth taking a closer look at temperament. If you believe that this is a viable option, take
the time to invite parents to do just that. This can be a planned or unplanned 10 minute to 15
minute face-to-face discussion between the professional and parent regarding the potential
value of looking closely at Temperament (their own and their child’s) with the goal of
increased understanding and development of “Goodness of Fit”.
The initial invitation to explore the role that temperament might have in explaining a child’s
behavior can take place informally or as a strategy that might be recommended while you are
at a planned conference with a family member. This discussion usually takes10-15 minutes and
includes the rationale for the investigation and why it might have value for both the parent
and child. The brief discussion might include such topics as:
 Why might it be valuable to take a look at your child’s temperament in relation to some
of the challenges he or she is having?
 “Goodness- of- Fit”- i.e. the more we know about how the child responds to the world,
the better chance we have of adapting our caregiving practices to be more supportive
to the child.
 Your past experience of using temperament as a tool for undemanding. If you have
used temperament information/ tools with parents and staff successfully in the past,
share its worth and your enthusiasm for the process.
Note: This is not a conversation that you want to have in front of staff and other parents.
The Temperament work that you do with parents is personal and can be regarded as an
optional service that your program provides to support parents and the social and
emotional development of their child.
Discuss the value that temperament information will have to the parent in developing an
understanding how the child “approaches” the world and the possibilities for establishing
“Goodness of Fit.” (Form in Appendix).If the parent is interested in learning more begin by
sharing any of the available handouts on temperament. If the parent expresses an interest in
the IT3 process ask them to fill-out the one Parent Questionnaire, give them the one page
snapshot of the IT3 Tool as it will appear on-line (to serve as a visual frame of reference) and
make a mutually agreeable date to complete it together. Temperament handouts, parent
questionnaire and IT3 snapshot are all available in the Appendix of this manual.
22
Step 3 The IT3 Process
It is recommended that you set aside an hour of uninterrupted time to engage in this process.
The objectives of this meeting are to:
 Review information on temperament (i.e. the what, why and how of temperament)
 Review the information on the Parent Questionnaire which allows you to see how much
information the parent currently has on the topic of temperament and clarifies the
parents intention in the process
 Guide parents to the IT3 webpage and how to navigate the site
 Complete the IT3 Temperament Tool
 Print out for and e-mail strategies to parent(s)
 Review individualized strategies
 Parent clarifies target strategies which can be useful for follow-up
 Schedule a follow up meeting within a months’ time
Materials necessary include:
 Easily accessible computer/monitor and mouse/ printer/ paper/ink
 2 Pens, paper, neon colored
 2 Manila folders
 Parent Child Information form, list of Temperament Traits and examples of high and
low levels for both adult and child for the parent to refer to if necessary. (Appendix)
Meeting Tips:
Each professional supporting a parent in the IT3 process will do it differently. Based on the
authors experience the most successful IT3 meeting tips include:




Have all materials ready and available including written materials, folders, markers
Have the computer booted up and on-line to the IT3 web page.
Keep the tone of the discussion upbeat and positive.
Review “Parent Questionnaire” to clarify parents understanding of temperament and
set intention for the process.
 Briefly discuss your experience in using temperament information as a tool for
promoting understanding.
 Assist parents with the IT3 site and completion of the tool
 Take responsibility for printing 2 copies the parent/child strategies recommended, email them to the family, review them for clarification of which ones the parents think
most advantageous to pursue. Professional and parent highlight those strategies
 Set follow up meeting time to review use of strategies before the parent leaves
 Check in with the parent at least once a week for follow-up. Provide resources as
necessary, support when needed and positive feedback as “Goodness of Fit” is built.
Note: All of the parents who I have had the pleasure of doing this work with, have reported
positive results. Parents appreciate the attention, information and support. Our willingness to be
involved in using these tools helps fulfill our role as conscious professionals and is an excellent
example of ways we can better support and strengthen families.
23
Summary and Closing
SECTION 5
The field of temperament research can be challenging for early childhood professionals to
interpret and apply to their daily work. Taking a temperament approach of looking at patterns
of young children’s behavior, however, has a lot to offer in our attempts to make sense of a
child’s behavior. Since we now know that aspects of temperament are likely inborn, consistent
over time (e.g. Rothbart, Derryberry & Hershey, 2000), and influence a child’s behavioral style
we are obliged, as responsible professionals, to learn more about temperament. If in terms of
outcome, what is more important than each child’s temperament but how parents and
caregivers respond to it, then it is our responsibility as conscious professionals to discover each
child in our care approaches the world. With that information we can adapt environments,
demands and expectations to develop “Goodness-of-fit.” Since temperament plays a role in in
determining caregiver’s reactions to the child we must acknowledge its effect on how each
child interprets makes sense of life experiences and shapes their behavior.
Our hope is that these temperament tools prove practically useful to you and the parents you
serve furthering our ability to “embrace complexity” rather than to prematurely make
conclusions about simple causes of child behavior. We invite you to use these tools to:






Share with significant adult caregivers (parents and teachers) what temperament is?
Explain that temperament includes both behavioral and emotional components, and
provide a few examples of these (e.g. activity level, mood).
Underscore that temperamental traits "are real; they are important for both child and
parent/caregiver, and they are best managed by accommodation, not confrontation or
attempts to change them" (Carey, W.B. 1998) :
Assist caregivers in viewing temperamental differences as varying styles that can be
responded to accordingly, as opposed to 'good' or 'bad' behavior. For example, a
persistent child may be difficult to distract from forbidden things such as electrical
cords, but this persistence may serve her well in other arenas such as problem-solving.
Help others see a child’s reactions as windows into their temperament.
Help parents see temperament as causal, as a way of reframing their reactions to their
child, and encourage parents to understand their own temperaments, and how those
might influence the child (Lieberman, 1993).
Why is this important? Because all children deserve to be accepted as is, with unique
personalities and styles of behaving. Though a child’s style of reaction or temperament may
not change, our response to it can. The significant adults in a child’s life have the power to
enhance positive traits and help children modulate negative ones. It is our ethical duty to
support “Goodness–of-Fit” for each child, even the most challenging.
24
References
Aldridge, J. (1993).Self-Esteem: Loving Yourself at Every Age. Birmingham, AL: Doxa.
Aldridge, J. & Cowles, M. (1990).The Development of Significance in Students Through the Acceptance
of Personality, Cognitive, and Language Differences. Education, 110 (3), 323-325.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977).Toward an Experimental Ecology of Human Development. American
Psychologist, 32, 513-531.
Carey, W.B., (1998). Teaching Parents About Infant Temperament, American Academy of Pediatrics,
102 (E1), 1311 -1316
Chess, F. & Thomas, A. (1987).Know Your Child. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Cowles, M. & Aldridge, J. (1992).Activity-Oriented Classrooms. Washington, DC: National Education
Association.
Eddowes, E.A., & Aldridge, J. (1990).Hyperactivity or "Activity Hyper"-Helping Young Children Attend in
Appropriate Environments. Day Care and Early Education, 17 (4), 29-32.
Eddowes, E.A., Aldridge, J., & Culpepper, S. (1994).Primary Teachers' Classroom Practices and Their
Perceptions of Children's Attention Problems. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 79, 787-790.
Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2006) The Young Child in the Family and Community (4th Ed) Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson
How-the-9-Temperament-Traits-Affect-Behavior. Childhood Behavior Issues. Reported by Parents in
Early Childhood. www.pitc.org/cs/pitclib/download/pitc_res/1197/How%20the%209%20/How-the-9Temperament-Traits-Affect-Behavior.pdf
Keogh, B. (1986).Temperament and Schooling: Meaning of "Goodness of Fit." In J.V. Lerner & R.M.
Lerner (Eds.), Temperament and Social Interaction in Infants and Children. San Francisco: Josey-Bass.
Landry SH, Smith KE, Swank PR. 2006. Responsive Parenting: Establishing Early Foundations for Social,
Communication, and Independent Problem-Solving Skills. Dev Psychology 42:627–642
Lieberman, A.F. (1993). The Emotional Life of the Toddler. New York: Free Press.
Lerner, J.V., & Lerner, R.M. (Eds.) (1986).Temperament and Social Interaction in Infants and Children.
San Francisco: Josey-Bass.
Pullis, M.E., & Cadwell, J. (1982).The Influence of Children's Temperament Characteristics on Teachers'
Decision Strategies. American Research Journal, 19 (2), 165-180.
Santrock, J.(1998)Child Development (8th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw - Hill
Sanson, Hemphill and Smart
Thomas, A., & Chess, S. (1977).Temperament and Development. New York: Brunner/Mazel.The
Temperament Trap:
Understanding Goodness of Fit. (n.d.). on-line article. Retrieved Novemer16, 2013,from
http://centerforparentingeducation.org/library-of-articles/child-development/unique-childequation/temperament/understanding-goodness-of-fit/
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Appendix
Sample Meeting Invitation Letter to Parents
Dear ____Parents name(s),
We have enjoyed having child name in our program this year. We hope that you are happy with his/her
classroom and feel comfortable with the care that we are providing.
Child name’s teacher has observed that child name is having difficulty within some of the classroom
routines. Child name will (list behaviors) during (list routines). We want to make sure that we do all that
we can to help your child be comfortable in the classroom and partake in all of the various daily
activities.
We would like to schedule a meeting with you to better understand your child and determine how we
can best support your child within our program. In this meeting, we will talk about what we have
observed here and ask you assist to us in developing ideas about how to better meet your child’s
needs.
Your partnership in this process is very important to us. We have found that families know their child
best and can be a wonderful source of information about their child’s needs. If you want, we can also
use the meeting to discuss any concerns you might have about child name at home or in the
community.
Our goal for the meeting will be to learn more about your child and develop a plan of support. This plan
will guide us in better meeting your child’s needs. The plan will include how to prevent your child from
having difficulty in daily routines and activities and it will identify the social and communication skills
that are important for us to teach. Our desire is to develop a plan for how to best respond to your child
when he/she has difficulty.
Please call me at __________ to schedule a meeting OR let me know if any of the meeting times below
work for you. You can return this letter to child teacher name and she will let me know when you are
available to meet.
List times and days
I am looking forward to meeting you and talking with you. If you have any questions or concerns, you
can reach me at phone and email.
Sincerely,
Your Name and Title
26
Temperament Traits- Adapted from the IT3-Center for Early Childhood Mental
Health Consultation (CECMHC)
Dimensions
Activity Level refers to the general
level of motor activity. Motor activity
involves large and small muscle
movement like running, jumping, rolling
over, and picking up toys. etc.
Distractibility is the ease with which
one can be distracted, or, conversely,
his level of concentration or focus
Behavioral
Indicator
The Child…
The Adult…
High Activity
has difficulty sitting still, doodles, needs something
to manipulate when needing to be still.
is squirmy and active.
Low Activity
sits back quietly and prefers sedentary activities.
prefers less noise and
movement.
High Distractibility
has difficulty concentrating, paying attention when
engaged in an activity and is easily distracted by
sounds or sights during activities.
is very distracted by
discomfort, noticing even small
signals of discomfort such as
hunger, being sleepy, clothing
too tight, itchy.
Low Distractibility
has a high degree of concentration, pays attention
when engaged in an activity and is not easily
distracted by sounds or sights during activities.
can handle discomfort, does
not seem very bothered at all.
Intensity refers to the energy level of
one’s emotional response both positive
and negative
High Intensity
has strong/intense positive and negative responses.
Low Intensity
has muted emotional responses.
Regularity relates to the predictability of
biological functions such as eating,
sleeping, etc.
Highly Regular
Sensitivity describes how sensitive one
is to physical stimuli such as light,
sound and textures.
High Sensitivity
is sensitive to physical stimuli including sounds, tastes, touch and temperature
changes; is a picky eater and has difficulty sleeping in a strange bed.
Low Sensitivity
is not sensitive to physical stimuli, including sounds, tastes, touch and temperature
changes; can fall asleep anywhere and tries new foods easily.
Irregular
has predictable appetite, sleep, rest and elimination patterns.
has unpredictable appetite, sleep, rest and elimination patterns.
Approachability is one’s initial
response to new places, situations, or
things
High Approaching
eagerly approaches new situations or people.
Low Approaching
is hesitant and resistant when faced with new situations, people or things.
Adaptability describes how easily one
adjusts to changes and transitions
High Adaptability
transitions easily to new activities and
situations.
requires very small amount of time to
appear comfortable in new situations .
Low Adaptability
needs more time for transitioning to new
activities or situations.
child may cry or stay close to caregiver
before approaching a new situation.
High Persistence
continues with a task or activity in the face of obstacles and does not get easily
frustrated.
Low Persistence
moves on to a new task or activity when faced with obstacles and gets frustrated easily.
Persistence relates to the length of
time one continues in activities in the
face of obstacles
Mood is one’s tendency to react to the
world primarily in a positive or neutral
way
Positive Mood
reacts to the world in a positive way and is generally cheerful.
Serious Mood
reacts to situations in an observant, way. Tends to be thoughtful about new situations.
27
How the 9 Temperament Traits Affect Behavior
Activity Level:
Active children have a zest for life. Their activity level propels them into the world to explore and
experience it. They are independent and insist on doing things themselves. They approach a task with
their entire body and learn by doing, not watching. They go through motor milestones earlier than less
active children and they excel at gross motor skills. They are often in constant motion. They can
exhaust caregivers. They dislike being confined. When in high activity pursuits, they are hard to slow
down.
Low activity children move more slowly. Sometimes their physical slowness is viewed as intellectual
slowness and that is not accurate. They excel at fine motor coordination. Their caregivers don’t have to
worry about them running off into a crowd or jumping from a high play structure. Because of their low
activity level, they are dependent on adults longer and are content to “stay put.” They move through
gross motor milestones more slowly.
Rhythmicity:
Children high in rhythmicity are very predictable in eating, sleeping and elimination patterns. You
can set your watch by them. They adapt easily to schedules but have problems when the schedule is
changed. They may have trouble with daylight savings time or adjusting to different time zones. They
make toilet learning easier.
Children low in rhythmicity have varying sleep, eating and toileting patterns from day to day. It is
difficult to schedule regular meals or bedtimes. They may have disorderly rooms, misplace possessions
and have fewer set routines.
Approach/Withdrawal:
Approaching children are attracted by novelty. If it is new, they want to investigate it. They approach
new people, things, and places easily. They can be accident prone, especially if they are highly active.
They are sociable and outgoing and tend to be hands on learners.
Withdrawing children need time to warm up to novel stimulation. They are cautious with new people,
things and places. They prefer the familiar. They avoid risky situations. Anything novel is initially
rejected. They are observers, not doers and learn by watching. These children are described as shy but
may be quite outgoing once they are used to a situation or in a familiar surroundings.
Mood:
Positive mood children are generally happier and less easily upset.
Negative mood children often appear fussy, irritable, and rarely smile. This trait is greatly affected by
the other temperament traits and goodness of fit. For example, a highly sensitive, low adapting, intense
child may have reasons to exhibit more negative mood than the low sensitive, adaptable, less intense
child.
Intensity of Reaction:
Intense children are LOUD and DRAMATIC. Their emotional highs are higher and their lows are lower
than typical. Most people often think they overreact to situations. They are expressive whether happy,
28
sad or angry. No one has to guess how these children are feeling. Intensity colors how other
temperament traits are expressed.
Low intensity children are quiet and subdued in their emotional expression. Instead of having a
tantrum, a low intensity child may fuss mildly. Adults may not recognize how the child is feeling.
Sensitivity:
Highly sensitive children are like radios with the antennas up, only they are not picking up just one
station but ALL the stations at once. Sensitive children may notice everything from the tag in their teeshirt to the temperature of their milk. They often perceive minute changes in their environments.
Because of this awareness, they can become easily overwhelmed or over-stimulated, especially in busy
environments. They perceive others’ feelings and their own feelings may be easily hurt. But, they are
also very empathetic and conscientious.
Low sensitivity children are not usually bothered by sand in their shoe or a playmate’s critical remarks.
He may have difficulty picking up social cues or nuances and be unaware of the effects of his behavior
on others. He is more likely to take risks because he is not reflective or observant, and he is not slowed
down by a slight injury. The low sensitive child may not indicate that he is ill as soon as a sensitive child.
These children are often viewed as resilient or “tough.”
Adaptability:
Highly adaptable children can shift to a new activity quickly from one situation to the next. Because of
their adaptability, they may be overlooked or taken advantage of by less adaptable children.
Slow adapting children have difficult times with changes, transitions and intrusions. They like to know
what to expect and when to expect it. Little things may set off large reactions. Slow adapting children
like to control situations when they don’t know what to expect and appreciate structure and schedules.
Distractibility:
Highly distractible children are perceptive. They notice everything from a person walking past the
door to the noise the refrigerator makes when it turns on. They are often side tracked by these
distractions. Their high perceptions make it difficult for them to focus on one thing in a busy
environment but they have an excellent eye for detail. These children move from one activity to
another because something new catches their eye.
Low distractible children have endless focus. When concentrating on something, they can block out all
other stimuli. Nothing diverts their attention. They differ from a highly persistent child since a highly
persistent child becomes distracted by something but they return to finish the task at hand. The low
distractible child is difficult to be soothed once upset. (PITC Download) The Temperament Perspective:
Working with Children’s Behavioral Styles, Jan Kristal, 2005 (cite)
Persistence:
Highly persistent children like to finish what they start. They also practice a new tasks until mastered.
They often have a hard time stopping an activity before it is finished. Persistent children are able to
play on their own and have excellent attention spans.
Low persistence children have difficulty maintaining attention and may move from one thing to
another, especially if they are unable to achieve a goal quickly. They are often overwhelmed by difficult
tasks and may become irritated with obstacles and delays. They often need caregivers to relieve their
frustrations. Because of this, they like to have the caregiver close by and may protest separations.
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Responsive Caregiving: Temperament Based Recommendations
Children who exhibit an easy or Flexible temperament tend to have
regular feeding and napping routines, are toilet-trained easily, and are
generally cheerful. They also exhibit low levels of intensity and sensitivity.
Though the child will seldom make a fuss, they want attention from their
caregivers but may only communicate their need with an occasional glance or wave his hand.
Caregiving techniques include:
•
•
•
Checking in with the child regularly.
Set aside special time.
Remember that even though they may not ask for it, they need intimate contact.
Some children exhibit a shy, fearful or cautious temperament. Shy or
cautious children need more time and attention to warm up to a new
situation or new people. Fearful children tend to adapt slowly and
withdraw. For cautious children, some helpful recommendations are
setting up the environment so that things are in the same place as well as
assigning a primary caregiver. A caregiver supports a child with a new
experience best by:
•
•
•
•
•
Taking the child to the activity
Drawing the child in slowly
Stepping back
Remain available, and then move on
Allow independence to unfold
Some children exhibit a spirited or difficult or Feisty temperament. These
children become easily aggitated in new and unfamiliar situations, can be
fussy, irregular in their feeding and sleeping habits and fearful of new
people. They are also easily upset by noise and stimulation. A caregiver
can support this child by:




Providing plenty of activities that are soothing such as water or sand play and
storytime.
Recognizing cues that intensity is rising
Being consistent with rules
Try to wait out noisy outbursts
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Temperament Combinations Most Frequently
Observed in Clinical Settings
High Energy,
Low
Adaptability
34.75%
Sensitive,
Withdrawing
25.5%
Low/Average
Energy, Low
Adaptability
21%
High Energy,
High
Adaptability
12.5%
Low Energy,
High
Adaptability
6.25%
(Feisty)
(Cautious)
(Resisting)
(Curious)
(Flexible)
Active, slow
adapting or
intense slowadapting
Sensitive,
intense and
withdrawing or
sensitive,
withdrawing
Low/average
activity and
slow-adapting
or
Active and/or
intense plus
adaptable or
approaching
Low in
intensity
and/or low in
activity
Adaptable
Approaching
Active low
persistent or
active, low
persistent
and slow
adapting
Low/average
intensity and
slow adapting
or low
persistence
These data are from The Temperament Perspective: Working with Children’s Behavioral Styles
by Jan Kristal, 2005 which is based on a Kaiser Permanente Research Study of Children’s
Temperament. The chart illustrates mainstream America’s cultural values on child behavior.
Both feisty and cautious children were most frequently referred for clinical services, while the
typical “flexible child” was the least apt to receive clinical services. If a child has high energy,
withdraws and does not easily adapt to new routines or new activities, parents often believe
there must be something wrong with them.
Source: The Temperament Perspective: Working with Children’s Behavioral Styles, Jan Kristal,
2005
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Temperament Tools: Initial Parent Questionnaire
Parent Name:
What is your age?
Child Name:
Child’s Age:
Date:
How many children do you have?
Where would you say you learned the most about parenting?
Who taught you the most about parenting?
What have been the 3 biggest challenges to parenting your baby?
What has surprised you the most about parenting?
What would you say is your temperamental style?
How would you characterize your infant’s temperament?
Do you feel that there is a good fit between you and your baby? Please explain.
What are the long term goals you have for your baby?
Where would you go to access helpful parenting information?
Do you think you will use the strategies recommended by the IT3? Why or why not?
What kind of support from our program or me would be the most beneficial to you?
Would you be willing to answer follow-up questions a month from now?
I prefer that you contact me via: ____e-mail, ___telephone, ___cell phone, ___letter,
other_____(please provide numbers or addresses preferred)
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Temperament Tools: Follow-up Questionnaire
Parent:
Child:
Child’s Age:
Date:
1. Have the temperament information and strategies been helpful to you?
If not, why? If so, how?
2. Have the temperament tools provided you with a better understanding your child?
Please explain.
3. Has the information proven to be beneficial to your parenting? Please explain.
4. Do you see a difference? If yes, in what ways are things different?
5. What other support do you think might be helpful to you and your child?
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Books/Materials about Temperament for Parents and
Professionals
Books on this page are intended to be resources for parents and other caregivers who are
dealing with a child who exhibits spirited or difficult temperament characteristics.
Books and Video intended for parents
Child Development and Parenting Strategies, Birth to 6 Years by Helen Neville. Parenting Press, Inc.,
2007.
Understanding Your Child's Temperament. By William B. Carey, M.D., with Martha M. Jablow. New
York. Macmillan: Simon & Schuster. 2005.
The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When the World Overwhelms Them. by Elaine
N. Aron, Broadway Books, 2002.
Temperament Tools: Working with Your Child's Inborn Trait by Helen Neville and Diane Clark Johnson.
Parenting Press, Inc., 1997.
The Explosive Child. Third Edition (paperback) by Ross Greene, PhD, Harper Paperbacks, 2005.
Temperament Talk: A Guide to Understanding Your Child. Kathy Goodman, Lyndall Schick, Barbara
Tyler, & Barb Zukin. Center for Human Development, Inc., 1995.
Kids, Parents and Power Struggles. By Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. Quill Press, 2001.
Raising Your Spirited Child. By Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. Perrenial Press, 1998.
The Difficult Child. Revised Edition.By Stanley Turecki and L. Tonner. New York: Bantam Books, 1999.
Discipline and Temperament. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyVYQzsQ-CY
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