View in EDS

Associations among Temperament Characteristics and Telomere Length and Attrition Rate in Early Childhood

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Associations among Temperament Characteristics and Telomere Length and Attrition Rate in Early Childhood
Language: English
Authors: Michelle Bosquet Enlow (ORCID 0000-0003-2598-3894), Immaculata De Vivo, Carter R. Petty, Natalie Cayon, Charles A. Nelson
Source: Developmental Psychology. 2024 60(11):2220-2232.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2024
Sponsoring Agency: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS)
Contract Number: MH078829
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Personality Traits, Infants, Toddlers, Gender Differences, Genetics, Psychological Patterns, Physiology, Infant Behavior, Individual Characteristics
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Rothbart Infant Behavior Questionnaire
DOI: 10.1037/dev0001635
ISSN: 0012-1649
1939-0599
Abstract: There is growing interest in telomere length as an indicator of current and future health. Although early childhood is a period of rapid telomere attrition, little is known about the factors that influence telomere biology during this time. Adult research suggests that telomere length is influenced by psychological characteristics. This study's goal was to test associations among repeated measures of temperament and telomere length in a community sample of children (N = 602; 52% male, 73% non-Hispanic White, middle-to-high socioeconomic status) from infancy to age 3 years. Relative telomere length was assessed from DNA in saliva samples collected at infancy (M = 8.4 months), 2 years (M = 24.9 months), and 3 years (M = 37.8 months). Temperament was assessed via maternal report questionnaires administered at infancy (Infant Behavior Report Questionnaire--Revised) and ages 2 and 3 years (Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire). Temperament was operationalized in two ways: using the established domains of negative affectivity, surgency/extraversion, and regulation/effortful control and using person-centered scores that identified three groups of children with similar profiles across domains (emotionally and behaviorally regulated; emotionally and behaviorally dysregulated; introverted and overcontrolled). Analyses revealed that greater regulation/effortful control was associated with longer telomere length across time points. Additionally, higher surgency/extraversion, beginning in infancy, was associated with decreased rate of telomere attrition. There were no sex differences in the relations between temperament and telomere measures. These findings suggest that, as early as infancy, temperament may influence telomere biology, with a potential protective effect of positive temperament characteristics on telomere erosion.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1501232
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1501232
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Associations among Temperament Characteristics and Telomere Length and Attrition Rate in Early Childhood
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Michelle+Bosquet+Enlow%22">Michelle Bosquet Enlow</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2598-3894">0000-0003-2598-3894</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Immaculata+De+Vivo%22">Immaculata De Vivo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Carter+R%2E+Petty%22">Carter R. Petty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Natalie+Cayon%22">Natalie Cayon</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Charles+A%2E+Nelson%22">Charles A. Nelson</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Psychology%22"><i>Developmental Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2024 60(11):2220-2232.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 13
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2024
– Name: SourceSuprt
  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS)
– Name: NumberContract
  Label: Contract Number
  Group: NumCntrct
  Data: MH078829
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personality+Traits%22">Personality Traits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infants%22">Infants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Toddlers%22">Toddlers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Genetics%22">Genetics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+Patterns%22">Psychological Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physiology%22">Physiology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infant+Behavior%22">Infant Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Individual+Characteristics%22">Individual Characteristics</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectThesaurus
  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Rothbart+Infant+Behavior+Questionnaire%22">Rothbart Infant Behavior Questionnaire</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1037/dev0001635
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0012-1649<br />1939-0599
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: There is growing interest in telomere length as an indicator of current and future health. Although early childhood is a period of rapid telomere attrition, little is known about the factors that influence telomere biology during this time. Adult research suggests that telomere length is influenced by psychological characteristics. This study's goal was to test associations among repeated measures of temperament and telomere length in a community sample of children (N = 602; 52% male, 73% non-Hispanic White, middle-to-high socioeconomic status) from infancy to age 3 years. Relative telomere length was assessed from DNA in saliva samples collected at infancy (M = 8.4 months), 2 years (M = 24.9 months), and 3 years (M = 37.8 months). Temperament was assessed via maternal report questionnaires administered at infancy (Infant Behavior Report Questionnaire--Revised) and ages 2 and 3 years (Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire). Temperament was operationalized in two ways: using the established domains of negative affectivity, surgency/extraversion, and regulation/effortful control and using person-centered scores that identified three groups of children with similar profiles across domains (emotionally and behaviorally regulated; emotionally and behaviorally dysregulated; introverted and overcontrolled). Analyses revealed that greater regulation/effortful control was associated with longer telomere length across time points. Additionally, higher surgency/extraversion, beginning in infancy, was associated with decreased rate of telomere attrition. There were no sex differences in the relations between temperament and telomere measures. These findings suggest that, as early as infancy, temperament may influence telomere biology, with a potential protective effect of positive temperament characteristics on telomere erosion.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1501232
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1501232
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1037/dev0001635
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 2220
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Personality Traits
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Infants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Toddlers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Genetics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological Patterns
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Infant Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Individual Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rothbart Infant Behavior Questionnaire
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Associations among Temperament Characteristics and Telomere Length and Attrition Rate in Early Childhood
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Michelle Bosquet Enlow
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Immaculata De Vivo
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Carter R. Petty
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Natalie Cayon
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Charles A. Nelson
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 11
              Type: published
              Y: 2024
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0012-1649
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1939-0599
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 60
            – Type: issue
              Value: 11
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Developmental Psychology
              Type: main
ResultId 1