Parent-Family-Coach
Training
Course Overview
of Children’s Nine
Temperament
Traits
Complementary Materials For
Modified Assessment of Nine Traits.
Dr. Caron Goode
ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
AND INSPIRED LIVING INTERNATIONAL LLC
ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
Course Overview: Nine Traits
(Children’s Temperaments)
Course Overview: Nine Traits - Children’s Temperaments) .... 2
Presentation One – Brief Overview of Child Core
Temperaments ............................................................................ 4
Presentation Two – Definition of Traits - Outline ....................... 8
Presentation Three – Nine Traits Scoring-Interpretation
Outline ....................................................................................... 13
Terms & Definitions .................................................................... 15
New Definition and Viewpoint of Temperaments ......... 15
What We Positively Know About Coaching & Parenting
Temperaments .......................................................................... 16
Facts About Temperament .............................................. 16
Summary: ............................................................................ 17
Temperaments’ Influence on Developmental Outcomes
(How will this kid turn out?) ............................................... 17
Temperament Qualities Correlate to Young Adult Traits ...... 18
5 Temperament Traits or Behavior Groups at Age 3 and
Age 18 ................................................................................. 18
How Do Temperament and the Environment Interact to
Shape Developmental Outcomes Over Time? .............. 20
Why You Should Shift from Cultural Views of Parenting to
Coaching a Parent’s Temperament Style ...................... 20
All Rights Reserved. © 2002 by Caron B. Goode, Tom Goode, David Russell
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
© 2015 Dr. Caron Goode of Inspired Living International. All Rights
Reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without the written permission of the publisher except where
permitted by law.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this book is intended for general
reference purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice.
Guidelines and strategies are meant to acquaint you with
procedures currently available and the manner in which they can
be carried out. We cannot take responsibility for any diagnosis or
treatment you may make on the basis of the guidelines in this book.
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
Presentation One – Brief Overview of Child
Core Temperaments
1-Brief Overview
Child Core Temperaments
Nurturing a parent's and child's
strengths are cornerstones of
ACPI's coaching model.
A Good Fit Equals Connection
& Compatibility
Temperament + Adaptation =
Personality
“If there is any secret to
success,
it lies in the ability to get the
other person’s point of view
and see things from his angle
as well as from your own.”
~Henry Ford
Core Temperament Terms Vary
Personal Style-Example: You are
a sensitive person and become
overwhelmed by loud noises.
You might avoid video game
machines, circuses, or loud
musical concerts.
Core Temperaments
Each person is born with a core
temperament, which is nature's
50%-80% contribution to one's
overall personality.
Interactive Style – Example –
You are very analytical and are
often busy thinking and
problem solving. When so
intensely focused, your
interactive style with people
appears anti-social to others,
although you are not an
antisocial person.
Temperament is rooted in
biology.
Core Temperaments
Our environments contribute
the other % to our personalities
and shape the whole person.
Core Temperament Terms Vary
Behavioral Style – People may
refer to you as the “creative”
person or the class clown. Your
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
Are you a good fit with a client?
temperament style tendency is
to entertain, or be celebratory,
or indulgent.
Can you explain why a parent
and child aren’t a good fit
sometimes?
A good example is reflected in
the Attention Deficit Disorder
label, which is now being
disputed by a few avant-garde
medical and educational
professionals. They ask, “Is it
possible that we are seeing
temperament traits and not a
disorder?”
How would you choose a
nanny, a preschool, or a
babysitter for a good fit with
your child?
Quick Summary
Our environments contribute to
temperaments by virtue of our
ability to adapt.
Core Temperament Terms Vary
While all these terms are
synonymous, this term helps
others clarify a point or
recognize their own style in a
specific area like parenting or
in making career choices. For
example:
Nurturing a parent's or child's
strengths is one cornerstone of
ACPI's coaching model.
We are always seeking a good
fit!
Temperament does not change
throughout time—and
influences life choices and life
paths.
Temperament Style – Parent
Temperament Style comes from
the inner core of the parent, as
opposed to” Parenting Style”
which is a culturally defined
viewpoint…best illustrated in
the book Tiger Mom.
The benefits of knowing
temperaments enables you to
better manage stress and
emotions, which interfere with
performance and relationships.
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
Guides direction of life based
on strengths and talents.
Basically, this is the science of
being human observable in
temperament traits.
Provides a base for being
credible and accountable.
Temperaments & Factors
Influencing Families
Improves effective
communication.
The core that each person is
born with includes an internal
set of values, fears, and needs.
Temperament Research
Clarified
We call these basic human
essentials—the core
temperament essentials
because they drive behavior.
Thomas Chess, Birch, Hertzig,
and Korn - classic longitudinal
study of the 1950-1980s.
To discover how temperament
qualities influence adjustment
throughout life and how a child
is a good fit for school, with
friends, or at at home.
The basic essentials between
parent and child could clash or
be compatible.
Summary
Core Strengths Derive from
Temperament
Longer term studies show
temperaments
In child rearing…focus on
strengths,
Influence self-regulation,
emotionality, attention, stress
responses, values, and choices
and behaviors.
to empower
to make good decisions
to self regulate
Are mostly consistent across
cultures.
Strengths can also develop
from experience, and they are
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
still linked to the core
temperament.
Summary of Temperament
Research
Instead of trying to fix what we
don’t like about ourselves,
research shows that we can
use our natural, core strengths
to ‘crowd out’ negative
experiences and create more
engaged and meaningful lives.
A child’s temperament traits
influence specific adult traits
because of interactions and
adaptation to the environment
in the early years.
Having a specific temperament
does not excuse behavior.
Adolescents and adults are
responsible for their behavior,
implying that children learn selfregulation skills that serve them
in adulthood.
This is the true meaning of
developing resilience.
Brief Summary
Summary of Temperament
Research
These patterns are moderately
stable over time but are by no
means final, and life
experiences and environments
shape responses.
Temperament contributes to a
wide range of child outcomes
in behavioral, cognitive and
social domains.
Each temperament provides a
bias for potential outcomes
and does not define destiny.
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
Presentation Two – Definition of Traits - Outline
Essentials of ACPI’s Coach
Training
A factor to the infant’s socioemotional development is
TEMPERAMENT.
Nurturing the core nature of
human beings.
Temperament is a word that
“captures the way that people
differ, even at birth, in such
things as their emotional
reactions, activity level,
attention span, persistence,
and ability to regulate their
emotions” (K.Pasek and
R.Golinkoff, 2003).
Understanding the normal child
development as opposed to
miscommunications or
behavioral issues.
Applying the art of nurturing
temperaments strengths.
Essentials of ACPI’s Coach
Training
Nine Temperament Traits
Researchers Thomas, Chess
and Birch described nine
different Temperament Traits.
Applying coaching ethics, skills,
and philosophy.
Creating a targeted marketing
program for entrepreneurial
business
Level of Activity
How active a child turns
out to be is influenced by
the core temperament.
Establishing yourself as an
expert in specialty niches of
unique interest to the parenting
market.
Does a baby move
around when in bed, like
turning or rolling?
Temperament
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
Does a baby squirm and
wiggle when you change
a diaper or dress the
child?
interferes with a child’s
behavior throughout the day or
night.
Do sounds and activity
disturb a baby?
Does a toddler move
around and explore?
Level of Distractibility
Can the toddler sit quietly
for a time?
Does the toddler have
difficulty being still?
Can a parent or caregiver
soothe the baby easily
when offered a toy or
distraction?
Does the child prefer
quiet or sedentary
activities?
Does a child get
sidetracked during an
activity or routine?
Is the child always curious
and looking, moving,
exploring?
We value distractibility
when we can redirect a
child’s undesirable
behavior to another
activity.
Level of Distractibility
This level refers to a child’s
ability to pay attention when
not particularly interested in the
activity or environment. For
instance, if mom spoke to the
child, does she attend and
listen or is easily distracted
when listening?
We don’t value it when
distraction prevents a
child from a task, school
work, or from hearing
parents or teacher
adequately.
Intensity
This trait includes how, if any,
the stimuli in the environment
Intensity refers to the
power or energy of a
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
child’s response, which is
consistent. We correlate
intensity to loudness or
drama in how a child
responds. Intensity can be
positive as in glee,
laughter, happiness,
squealing or dancing.
Intensity can be negative
as in screaming, tantrums,
hitting, or drama.
Or is the child’s schedule
arbitrary and
changeable?
Sensory Threshold
Sensory refers to the way
a child’s processes
information like sounds,
tastes, touch and
environmental changes
like temperature, weather
and barometric pressure.
High intensity is when the
child reacts strongly or
loudly to most everything,
and this includes pleasure
and displeasure.
Threshold refers to the
level of tolerance.
A child’s sensory threshold
is the amount of stimuli
A low level of intensity is
when a child’s reaction
reacts quietly, even when
upset or tearful
Regularity
This refers to an expected
schedule of biological
functions like eating,
sleeping and going to the
bathroom.
Does the child get hungry
or tired at the same time
each day?
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
action needed to for the
child to respond, and we
are interested in how the
child responds.
A withdrawal approach is
characterized by a child’s
hesitance, resistance, or
staying close to a parent r
caregiver when faced
with new people,
environments, or
situations.
Do particular sounds
cause a child to respond
negatively or positively?
Sensory Threshold
Adaptability
Is the child easily startled?
Adaptability refers to how
a child adjusts and settles
in to a changes and
transitions. Such situations
could include simple steps
like switching activities or
changing routines.
In general, does how
clothing feels elicit a
negative or positive
response in the child?
Is the child a picky eater
or does the child enjoys
most foods?
Does the child take a long
time to become
comfortable to new
situations, people and
environments?
Approach/Withdrawal
How does the child
commonly respond to
new situations? To
strangers? To new
environments?
Or does the baby or child
adjust well or settles in
easily.
A good approach to
people would be friendly.
Persistence
Persistence means to
continue, endure, or be
steadfast. For this
A good approach to
transitions would be
expectant or smooth.
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
assessment, persistence
refers to how long a child
focuses or continues in an
activity in the face of
distractions or difficulties.
Or does the child get
distracted, move to
another activity, or get
upset?
possible sulking, and the
tendency to see what’s
wrong or not working.
A child with a good mood
tends to be less stressed
and more open.
A child with a negative
mood tends to worry
more and is more serious
in evaluating people or
environments.
Does an infant persist in
babbling and eye gazing
with a parent?
--END--
Does a toddler stick with a
game or play activity
when disrupted?
Does a child persist in
homework when it
frustrates them?
Mood
For this assessment, mood
refers to a child’s general
outlook and tendency to
react.
In general, the good
mood is described as
positive or optimistic. The
negative mood includes
being more serious,
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ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
Presentation Three – Nine Traits Scoring-Interpretation Outline
ne Traits Scoring and Interpretations
tal The Scores
• Over the extended time of their
research, Chess and Thomas
correlated the traits into three
temperament clusters:
• Easy-Flexible Child
• Active-Feisty Child
• Slow to Warm or Cautious Child
tal The Scores
asy-Flexible Child
tal The Scores
ctive-Feisty Child
tal The Scores
ow to Warm or Cautious Child
eate A Profile Graph
born Temperament Traits
e original research on temperaments
aits in children focused primarily on
born tendencies.
• Environmental factors are as
2. Learn to stretch and grow
beyond the limits of a
temperament trait.
3 Through trainings learn to m
the influence of temperame
traits which make life more d
for the child.
• Inborn Temperament Traits
• To shape and influence a ch
temperament traits requires
• You understand the nat
the temperament which
includes a child’s needs
expressions, values, and
Basically if an infant’s or
young child’s needs are
met, then fear grows, a
child’s expressions beco
call to get those needs
crying, misbehavior, ba
and other such patterns
for connection, attachm
and feelings of safety.
• You respect the
ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
Terms & Definitions
rament Temperament consists of relatively consistent, basic predispositions.
onstitutionally-based differences in emotion, motor, reactivity and self-regulation
emonstrate consistency across situations and over time
mperament includes heredity factors, and neural and hormonal factors that aff
sponse to the environment.
mperament can be modulated by environmental factors like poverty, parental
sponses, trauma etc.
ajor elements of temperament are present at birth, and those elements are likely
e strongly influenced by biological factors. This is why early childhood interventio
ograms work well. Also, a child can only develop and exhibit traits alongside the
eveloping brain.
development proceeds, the expression of temperament increasingly becomes
luenced by experience and context.1
New Definition and Viewpoint of Temperaments
west work on temperament suggests an alternative: Temperament traits are ear
ing basic dispositions in the domains of activity, emotionality, attention, and selftion, and these dispositions are the product of complex interactions among gene
cal, and environmental factors across time.
utional refers to the biological foundations of temperament that result from the
nation of heredity and experiences of three previous generations.
ion – Mental action of acquiring knowledge and applying it through senses, thou
on.
nality – physiology and observable behaviors of emotions and a measure of one
ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
at We Positively Know About Coaching & Parenting Temperam
arch suggests that support and education can help adults to better respond to
n who pose greater challenges due to their temperament traits.”
ng-Coaching Goals:
tablishing a good fit between the parenting temperament style and the child’s
mperament traits.
e parenting styles researched in the 1950s and again in the 1970s are of the pas
ecause the cultural effects of parenting were emphasized.
ow we emphasize the individuals’ parenting temperament style and how a pare
an best meet the basic needs and care for the child according to the child’s
mperament. Also the parenting roles are about adapting the environment for th
hild’s optimal well being. (You or your clients can take ACPI’s Parenting Tempera
yle Inventory on http://coretemperament.com.
n temperamental features predict future behaviors:
Children who are fearful and inhibited, tend later to be more empathetic. But
are also more at risk of suffering from anxiety and depression.
Children who are able to pay attention for longer periods and able to restrain
themselves, tend later to be able to manage their impulses and stay focused o
goal. They will also be more likely to pay attention for longer periods.
Genetics plays a strong role in shaping temperament, but environmental factors
also influence it.
The way parents and caregivers respond and adapt to children, can mitigate
challenging aspects of their temperament.
Facts About Temperament
ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
stress reactions
d 12-15 months, we could observe shyness and fear of newness or change.
ng child’s effort to control self – whether using an inside voice or stopping throwin
ns—occurs over several years in early childhood in keeping with brain developm
one reason new parents might get frustrated when the younger child doesn’t m
do as I say, etc. The children are not capable yet of such efforts, but they grow in
zation experiences and early training can shape a child’s temperament’s traits.
Summary:
rament traits influence how a developing child interacts with people and
nments. Traits mature or emerge alongside and through the maturing brain.
oblem that any adult, parent, caregiver, nanny, teacher, social worker, or therap
n understanding a child’s temperament is that the adult’s temperament and
ach will not work across the board with every child.
e of thumb in current times is that the adult adapts their approaches to the child
rament. This is called goodness of fit. An adult’s flexible style could accommoda
ual temperament of each child.
mperaments’ Influence on Developmental Outcomes (How
this kid turn out?)
rament Traits—feeling fear, frustration or discomfort, approach, reactions, sadne
vity-- are associated with developmental outcomes across the life span.
ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
Temperament Qualities Correlate to Young Adult Traits
behavior predictable?
o toddlers’ temperaments relate to teen behaviors?
are behavioral styles?
Temperament Traits or Behavior Groups at Age 3 and Age
(Research
Avshalom Caspi, et.al. “Temperamental Qualities at Age Three Predict P
Traits in Young Adulthood: Longitudinal Evidence from a Bir
Journal of Child Development 6. Vol. 2. (1995)
00 subjects were rated for the following 5 behavioral traits at age 3 and again a
asured through self report and the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire.
nder controlled
hibited
onfident
eserved
ell-adjusted
orrelation
en with uncontrolled behavior
ated high scores for these patterns at
:
• aggression,
• social strength or effectiveness
3rd Correlation
Children who had the traits of confide
ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
en’s temperaments motivate their development and influence how the child res
ple, data, tasks, information, and their environments.
spects of the temperament traits are ingrained and constitute the DNA blueprin
life. Some traits like shyness and depression come from the family gene pool,
er, Harvard’s Jerome Kagan’s research studied how fixed were such tendencies
activity or shyness. Research indicated that intervention for “tempering” or
ncing” those traits works well and requires a consistent parenting plan in the you
o make those changes. Shy children can learn to be less reclusive or less cautiou
sed parent or one prone to anger patterns can change their neuro-biological st
elp.
-Family coaches offer much support for a parent’s learning-curve with their child
ing plan could include:
cusing on an older child’s signature strengths, which works well for children’s
motional-social development
odifying a younger child’s environment to “direct” the temperament patterns ta
ariety of forms, which are common-sense solutions. For example, children with
peractive tendencies can train their focus or energy in physical ways—playing
utside, taking gymnastics, dancing, enjoying sports.
orm Temperament-Appropriate Strategies
bout a child you know who reacts to the slightest stressful situations…perhaps a
who is sick, deployed, looking for work, or suffers from depression. Such persisten
rs, even for a short period, could cause acting out behaviors.
Such a child needs responsive caring, thoughtful, emotional support. They ha
larger need for safe, predictable, and steady environments.
How can a parenting coach and parents help children who want this consiste
ACADEMY FOR COACHING PARENTS INTERNATIONAL
ow Do Temperament and the Environment Interact to Shap
Developmental Outcomes Over Time?
ed, Chess and Thomas put forth the idea of “goodness of fit,” suggesting that the
nment moderates the outcomes of children’s early individual differences. Severa
ble patterns. For example, a toddler’s level of fearfulness becomes either a regu
tage or disadvantage, depending on the context.
children develop internalized self-controls best with mothers who use gentle chi
nary strategies, whereas fearless children develop best with mothers who are wa
sponsive yet firmer. Pluess, 2009; van IJzendoorn & Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2012.
o examples are the tip of the iceberg. Research summaries as early as 2002 show
aining parents to respond to the specific needs of their individual child can succ
lower the incidence of problem beha
y You Should Shift from Cultural Views of Parenting to Coach
a Parent’s Temperament Style
play key role in parenting: Children also shape parents' behavior. Most parentin
OT come from how you were parented.
March 20, 2014
:
chigan State University
ary: