Temperament and the Individual's Response
Temperament can be defined as the way in which the individual
responds to the environment. Several traits, according to researchers
Thomas, Chess, Birch, Hertzig, and Korn can be identified at birth which
will remain constant over a life time, "Initial Traits of
Reactivity". The environment can be modified and the traits can be
modified to some extent, but basic temperament IS THE WAY THE CHILD
RESPONDS, not necessarily the way parents or others want the child to
respond.
The following nine traits can be observed in the way an infant, child, or
adult INITIALLY reacts to a stimulus situation most of the time. These
descriptions of normal traits are on a continuum. Only the extremes are
described, but the entire continuum is "normal."
Initial Traits of Reactivity
- activity level
active --------------------------------------quiet
An active child is comfortable when active. A quiet child is
comfortable being still; may need to be encouraged to act or move.
- regularity
regular -------------------------------------irregular
A regular child is predictable. Needs can be determined in part
by the predictable nature of bodily functions. Regular sleep times,
eating times, amount of sleep, elimination. An irregular child is
NOT predictable from day to day.
- adaptability
adapts quickly ----------------------------------slow to adapt
When faced with changes in a schedule or routine, new food, new
people, new places, the adaptable child quickly accepts the change.
Slow to adapt children take more time to "get used to"
things.
- approach/withdrawal
initial approach ---------------------------initial withdrawal
Faced with something new, the approach oriented child "goes
for it," is eager to reach for the new. At the opposite end, a
child will back away from something new, may even seem fearful at
first.
- physical sensitivity
not sensitive ------------------------------very sensitive
A child who does not seem to notice pain has a high sensory
threshold. It takes a lot of stimilus to cause a reaction. A low
sensory threshold results in a very sensitive child who is bothered
by lots of things. Noise, temperature, differences in taste, the
feel of clothing are experienced differently determined by sensory
threshold.
- intensity of reaction
high intensity ------------------------------mild reaction
A child's reaction does not represent the intensity of his
feelings. A child with high intensity reacts loudly and with great
emotion to everything -- laughs loud, cries loud, screams loud
--regardless. A child who reacts mildly to stimuli does not feel
less or experience less. The mild reactor is quiet and reacts
quietly.
- distractibility
very distractible -------------------not distractible
Some children can be easily distracted from their current
interest. They notice everything. Some children are non distractible
-- it is very hard to get them to notice any thing other than what
is immediately in front of them.
- positive or negative mood
positive mood-------------------------negative mood
Mothers have always known that some babies are happier at birth
than others. A person with a positive mood tends to react to things
in a positive spirit. The initial reaction is positive. A child with
a negative mood reacts to things initially with a negative reaction.
See Coping
with a Negative Child
- persistence
long attention span -------------------short attention span
Some children are capable of sustained effort from the beginning.
Other children give up quickly. Whether this is called attention
span, persistence, or stubborness, children come with varying
degrees.
-
A child's temperament determines the adult's perception of that child.
If a child makes it easy on the parent (the parent can meet the child's
needs and feel successful, parent gets smiles and positive feedback,
discipline works), the parents feel good about themselves and believe the
child to be "easy."
When a child is hard to take care of, needs are difficult to determine,
responses are negative, nothing seems to work, and the problems are
perceived by others to be the parents' fault, the child is
"difficult." Every child has one perspective, ...his own. His/her
intrepretation of the world is through that perspective.
Clusters of Traits
Some children have no specific grouping of traits. Others fall within
some general categories.
The Easy Child: (40%)
- moderate activity level
- regular
- adaptable
- approach-oriented
- positive mood
Given these traits, who couldn't be a good parent? Fortunately, most
children are not that difficult to parent. For these situations, good enough
parenting will work. When the child is adaptable, a parent's techniques will
work because the child adapts.
Slow to warm up: (15%)
There are special
parenting skills that will make life better for these kids.
Difficult child: (10%)
A child with these traits requires more than good
enough parenting. These kids really are difficult to parent. It is
important to note that any one of these difficult traits can cause enormous
problems by itself. All the traits combined describe 10% of the children,
but many kids have one or a few of these traits that make daily life
difficult. Special parenting
skills can make a tremendous difference in the child's behavior and
sense of psychological survival. Any parent who is living with such a child
should get a complete evaluation for the child by an experienced
psychiatrist. Many neurological disorders can cause these very symptoms and
the symptoms exist from birth. Treatment is available.
top | See also: Temperament
and Special Needs
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