Understanding and Supporting
the Unique Temperamental Traits
of Infants and Toddlers
October 2016
State Capacity Building Center
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Introductions

Ronna Schaffer, Infant and Toddler Specialist,
State Capacity Building Center


[email protected]
Tell us about yourself
State Capacity Building Center
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Temperament
Pyramid Model (Center on the Social and
Emotional Foundations for Early Learning)
 Program for Infant and Toddler Caregivers
(PITC)



WestEd Center for Child and Family Studies
California Department of Education
State Capacity Building Center
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Objectives

Introduce the Chess and Thomas model of nine
temperamental traits and three types

Explore information regarding three
temperamental traits

Understand the significance of temperament

Identify techniques to improve the “goodness of
fit”
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Small Group Activity
Groups
Discuss
Report Out
Break into
groups of 3 to
4.
Read the
scenario. Then
talk about your
initial feelings
and about your
behavior.
What did you
notice?
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Emotions/Behavior

The initial emotion is based on our
temperament

The way we behave is based on how we learn
to demonstrate the temperament
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Early Research
New York Longitudinal Study
by Stella Chess & Alexander Thomas
Stella Chess, M.D., Temperaments of Infants and Toddlers, A
Guide to Social-Emotional Growth and Socialization,1990
WestEd.org
Temperament & Development:
Recent Research
Sources: (1) Theodore Wachs, Temperament and
Development: The Role of Context in a Biologically Based
System, Zero to Three Journal, March 2004; (2) Marti Olsen
Laney, Psy.D., The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an
Extrovert World; (3) Linda Gilkerson and Rebecca Klein, Editors,
Early Development and the Brain, Zero to Three Press, 2008; (4)
Ross A. Thompson, Janet E. Thompson, and Julia Luckenbill, The
Developing Brain and Its Importance to Relationships,
Temperament, and Self-regulation
Compiled by Janet Poole. © 2011 WestEd, The Program for Infant/Toddler Care. This
document may be reproduced for educational purposes.
WestEd.org
Stability of Temperament
•
•
There are moderate levels of
stability of individual
temperament patterns
over time.
We would expect to see
greater stability in
temperament patterns within a
given situation rather than
across situations.
Compiled by Janet Poole. © 2011 WestEd, The Program for
Infant/Toddler Care. This document may be reproduced
for educational purposes.
WestEd.org
Definition of Temperament
“Early-appearing patterns of observable
behavior that are presumed to be
biologically based and that distinguish
one child from another.”
Rothbart & Derryberry, Zero to Three Journal, March 2004
WestEd.org
Temperament Described in Two
Dimensions:
“Reactivity refers to
individual differences in
the arousability of the
child: how easily the child
is moved to action. It
includes temperament
traits such as activity level,
intensity of reaction, and
the emotional qualities of
temperament.”
“Self-Regulation refers to
individual differences in
managing these reactive
tendencies. It includes
temperament traits such as
approach/withdrawal,
persistence, distractibility,
adaptability, and emotional
qualities related to emotional
self-control (such as
soothability).”
Rothbart, M.K. 2004 “Temperament and the Pursuit of an Integrated Developmental
Psychology,” Merrill Palmer Quarterly, 50:492-505.
WestEd.org
Key Concepts

Right from the start babies are
different from each other; these
differences can be classified into
nine temperamental traits

An understanding of
temperamental difference can
help adults work more
responsively and effectively with
children
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One Child

Think of a child who is particularly challenging
to work with

Think of a child who is easy to work with

Hold these children in mind while viewing video
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Video
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Nine Temperamental Traits
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Activity level – Always active or generally still
Biological rhythms – Predictability of hunger, sleep, elimination
Approach/withdrawal – Response to new situations
Mood – Tendency to react with positive or negative mood, serious,
fussy
Intensity of reaction – Energy or strength of emotional reaction
Sensitivity – Comfort with levels of sensory information; sound,
brightness of light, feel of clothing, new tastes
Adaptability – Ease of managing transitions or changes
Distractibility – How easily attention is pulled from an activity
Persistence – How long the person continues with an activity
he/she finds difficult
The Program for Infant/Toddler Care WestEd
Module I
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Temperament Types
Flexible
Fearful
Feisty
Regular rhythms
Adapts slowly
Active
Positive mood
Withdraws
Intense
Adaptability
Distractible
Low intensity
Sensitive
Low sensitivity
Irregular
Moody
Center on the social emotional foundations of early learning
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Think About

What is the child like?

How calm or active is she?

How does she respond to changes in routines?

How does she deal with a lot of stimulation?

How does she let you know she likes
something, dislikes something, etc.?
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Temperament Types: Flexible, Fearful,
and Feisty
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Techniques
Flexible
Check in
regularly
Set aside
special time
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Fearful
Feisty
Go slowly/do not
push or
overprotect
Redirect
Be flexible
Prepare the
child
Allow
independence to
unfold
Allow for quiet
moments
Give opportunities
for vigorous play
Remain calm
19
Handout # 6
The Temperament Assessment Scale for Children
By answering the following questions for each child, you can increase your understanding of the
temperaments of the children you serve.
1. Activity Level. How much does the child wiggle and move around when being read to, sitting at a
table or playing alone?
High Activity
1
3
5
Low Activity
2. Regularity. Is the child regular about eating times, sleeping ti8mes, amount of sleep needed, and bowel
movements?
Regular
1
3
5
Irregular
3. Adaptability. How quickly does the child adapt to changes in her or his schedule or routine? How
quickly does the child adapt to new foods and places?
Adapts quickly
1
3
5
Slow to adapt
4. Approach/Withdrawal. How does the child usually react the first time to new people, new foods, new
toys, and new activities?
Initial approach
1
3
5
Initial withdrawal
5. Physical Sensitivity. How aware is the child of slight noises, slight differences in temperature,
differences in taste, and differences in clothing?
Not Sensitive
1
3
5
Very Sensitive
6. Intensity of Reaction. How strong or violent are the child’s reactions. Does the child laugh and cry
energetically, or does she or he just smile and fuss mildly?
High Intensity
1
3
5
Mild Reaction
7. Distractibility. Is the child easily distracted, or does she or he ignore distractions? Will the child
continue to work or play when other noises or children are present?
Very distractible
1
3
5
Not Distractible
8. Positive or Negative Mood. How much of the time does the child show pleasant, joyful behavior
compared with unpleasant crying and fussing behavior?
Positive Mood
1
3
5
Negative Mood
9. Persistence. How long does the child continue with one activity? Does the child usually continue if it
is difficult.
Long attention span
1
3
5
Short attention span
Program for Infant Toddler Care Module I; WestEd
Handout # 7
Your Temperament Assessment Scale
By answering the following questions for yourself, you can increase your understanding of your own temperament.
1. Activity Level. How much do you need to move around during the workday? Can you sit
through a long meeting without wiggling?
High Activity
1
3
5
Low Activity
2. Regularity. How regular are you in your eating, sleeping and elimination habits?
Regular
1
3
5
Irregular
3. Adaptability. How quickly can you adapt to a change in schedule or routine, a new place or foods?
Adapts quickly
1
3
5
Slow to adapt
4. Approach/Withdrawal. How do you react the first time to new people, new foods, new
activities, or new tools?
Initial approach
1
3
5
Initial withdrawal
5. Physical Sensitivity. How aware are you of slight differences in noise level, temperature,
or touch?
Not Sensitive
1
3
5
Very Sensitive
6. Intensity of Reaction. How strong are your reactions?
High Intensity
1
3
5
Mild Reaction
7. Distractibility. Are you easily distracted?
Very distractible
1
5
Not Distractible
3
8. Positive or Negative Mood. How much of the time do you show pleasant, joyful behavior
compared with unpleasant or grouchy moods?
Positive Mood
1
3
5
Negative Mood
9. Persistence. How long will you continue with a difficult task?
Long attention span
1
3
5
Short attention span
Program for infant and toddler care module I; WestED
CHART OF TEMPERAMENT TRAITS
5
Low
Activity
Irregularity
High
Regularity
Slow
to Adapt
Withdraws
High
Sensitivity
Mild
Reaction
Low Distractibility
Negativ
e
Mood
Low
Persistence
High
High
Dis-
Positive
High
4
3
2
1
Activity
Activity
Level
Adapts
Approaches
Quickly
Biological
Rhythms
Adaptability
Approach/
Withdraw
Low
Sensitivity
Intensity
tractibility
Mood
Persistence
Sensitivity
Intensity
of
Distrac-
Quality
Mood
Persistence
Reaction
tibility
Activity: Considering Temperament
I/T Handout 1.14
• Think of a child that challenges you
• Write down the temperament traits of the child
you are thinking about (A)
• Take the child’s point of view and answer the
following
– “Let me tell you about …” (B)
– “I don’t like it when you …” (C)
– “It would help me if you …” (D)
Why Is Understanding Temperament
Important?

Caregivers are more responsive and effective

Children get the message they are wonderful
and accepted exactly the way they are

Relationships between children and adults are
strengthened
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Quote by Stella Chess
“When working with a child whose
high or low extremes of
temperament are troublesome,
the goal should not be to insulate
the child from those situations
which are distressing. Rather the
approach to such a child involves
finding a goodness of fit.”
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Goodness of Fit
When we adjust
our approach to the
individual
temperament of the
child, we achieve
goodness of fit.
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Strategies to Develop a “Good Fit”

Acknowledge a child’s temperament traits as
well as your own

Consider ways to adapt the daily schedule,
energy level, lighting, sound, pace, activity
level, and stimulation to best match the child’s
temperament
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Strategies to Develop a “Good Fit”
Focus on the positive attributes of all temperament
traits (e.g., cautious vs. shy; persistent vs.
stubborn; energetic vs. overactive or “hyper”)
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Improving the Goodness of Fit

Identify temperamental traits of your
“challenging child”

Compare your own temperament with that of
the child; ask yourself “Is there something about
the child’s behavior that I’m not used to or don’t
understand?”
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Consider
What situations are especially challenging for
you with this child?
 How well do you adapt your expectations and
behavior to fit with the child’s temperament?
 What can YOU do or help the child’s parent do
to improve the goodness of fit?

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Ideas to Take Away
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Final Thoughts

The way you respond to a child’s temperamental
style can …


Add to his/her difficulties handling of his/her
emotions OR
Can help him/her learn ways to behave and
moderate the intense emotions that may be a result
of temperament
State Capacity Building Center
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Resources


Pyramid Model (CSEFEL)

http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/

http://www.pyramidmodel.org/
Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC)

https://www.pitc.org/pub/pitc_docs/home.csp

Click on “PITC Library” and search for resources
using the term “temperament”
State Capacity Building Center
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State Capacity Building Center,
A Service of the Office of Child Care
9300 Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 877-296-2401
Email: [email protected]
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