Temperament and School Performance

The concept of temperament has been used to acknowledge a child’s contribution to his or her social environment and provides a foundation for later personality development. Experts have defined temperament as a child’s individual behavior style or the manner in which a child reacts to his or her environment. Temperament styles are believed to be partially genetic and may remain fairly consistent over time and across different situations. However, social experiences and interactions influence behavior and play a significant role in the nature and expression of temperament.Nine attributes of behavior are generally considered when determining a child’s temperament style: activity level, rhythmicity or regularity,distractibility, approach or withdrawal, adaptability, attention span and persistence, intensity of reaction, threshold of responsiveness, and quality of mood. Certain attributes tend to cluster to delineate the three most common temperament styles—easy, slow to warm, or difficult. Children who have “easy” temperaments tend to be cheerful, respond easily to the world around them, have regular eating and sleep patterns, and adapt easily to new situations. Children who have “slow to warm”temperaments have low activity levels and mild responses and tend to withdraw in new situations. Children described as having“difficult” temperaments have predominately negative moods and intense emotional reactions, adapt poorly to new situations, and are unpredictable. Approximately 40% of all children are described as“easy,” 15% as “slow to warm,” and 10%as “difficult.”The nature and expression of a child’s temperament is influenced strongly by the social environment. The term “goodness of fit” has been used to describe the relationship between a child’s temperament and the demands of the environment. A child’s ability to adjust to a situation depends on the degree of harmony that exists between the two. When environmental demands, particularly the expectations and reactions of adults,are incompatible with the temperamental characteristics of the child,behavioral problems are more likely to occur. Many experts believe that behavioral problems are more likely a result of poor interaction between the child and the environment rather than simply characteristics of the child.The concept of “goodness of fit” has important implications for the child’s adaptation to school. Children who are attentive and highly persistent have been shown to become more socially competent, adjust better,and perform better in school. They attend better to tasks and have higher frustration tolerances, making them more apt to learn. Conversely, children who are highly active and distractible and demonstrate low persistence have more difficulty orienting to and completing tasks. They display external behavioral problems in the classroom and have more difficulty achieving social and academic success, despite relatively similar intelligence levels. Children who are quiet, less intense, and less active are also at risk for difficulties in school adjustment and achievement. These children approach teachers and peers less and tend to be overly sensitive to feedback, making them at risk for developing internal psychosocial problems, such as poor self-esteem,withdrawal, or even depression. Behavioral and psychosocial problems may manifest differently, based on the child’s temperament style. Finally,when attempting to understand a child’s behavior in the classroom, it is important to consider the match between the student’s temperament and the demands of the environment, including the teacher’s personality style and attitudes.It is important for clinicians to understand different temperament styles so that they can counsel parents regarding the child’s adaptation to school. Discussions about a child’s temperament may increase awareness and understanding of individual differences, provide a more organized picture of the child’s behavior, and alleviate feelings of inadequacy or distorted perceptions. Once parents or teachers understand a child’s individual temperament, they can learn to anticipate responses to certain conditions and better adapt expectations and reactions to the needs of the child. They are also in a better position to help the child learn to adapt to real-world situations that may not contain the more ideal temperament/ environmental match. Conversations that focus on understanding a child’s temperament, establishing realistic expectations, and suggesting alternative behavioral strategies may influence the parent’s or teacher’s interactions with the child positively and affect the child’s behavior at home and at school.1Green M, ed. Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents— A Landmark Consensus Statement, Not a Cookbook. Arlington, Va: National Center for Education in Maternal Child Health; 1994Bright Futures1emphasizes developmental surveillance and assessment of a child’s interaction with his or her environment (including parents and others) as important goals for child health supervision. Understanding an individual child’s temperament and modifying expectations and approaches to a child in light of this knowledge are critical in enhancing his or her development.