Development of Temperament Types from Infancy to Adolescence: Genetic and Environmental Influences with an Economically and Racially/Ethnically Diverse Sample
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| Title: | Development of Temperament Types from Infancy to Adolescence: Genetic and Environmental Influences with an Economically and Racially/Ethnically Diverse Sample |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Alexys S. Murillo (ORCID |
| Source: | Developmental Psychology. 2024 60(11):2200-2219. |
| 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: | 20 |
| Publication Date: | 2024 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH) |
| Contract Number: | R01HD086085 R01HD079520 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Personality Traits, Infants, Children, Adolescents, Genetics, Environmental Influences, Twins, Hispanic Americans, Whites, Socioeconomic Status, Diversity, Age Differences, Heredity |
| Geographic Terms: | Arizona |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Rothbart Infant Behavior Questionnaire |
| DOI: | 10.1037/dev0001828 |
| ISSN: | 0012-1649 1939-0599 |
| Abstract: | Kagan theorized biologically based temperament types that are present in infancy, stable across development, and essential for understanding individual differences. Despite evidence, temperament research remains focused on a few prominent dimensions of temperament, without adequately addressing covariance among dimensions and temperament types. Using longitudinal twin data, we took a person-centered statistical approach to identify temperament types and examined continuity and change across five developmental periods (N[subscript infancy] = 602; N[subscript toddlerhood] = 522; N[subscript early childhood] = 390; N[subscript late childhood] = 718; N[subscript early adolescence] = 700). We then examined the genetic and environmental etiology of temperament types. Twins were boys and girls (51-53% female), primarily Hispanic/Latinx (23-30%) and non-Hispanic/Latinx White (56-63%), and from socioeconomically diverse families (28-38% near-or-below the poverty line). Using latent profile analysis, we identified three temperament types at each age characterized by negative reactivity and dysregulation, positive reactivity and strong self-regulation, and moderate reactivity and regulation. Latent transition analyses revealed considerable continuity in membership type for "negative dysregulated" beginning in infancy, log odds = 1.58 (SE = 0.65) to 3.16 (SE = 0.77), p < 0.01, of remaining relative to transitioning to "typical expressive", and "positive well-regulated" beginning in early childhood, log odds = 1.41 (SE = 0.56) to 2.25 (SE = 0.47), p < 0.05. Twin analyses revealed moderate heritability and a consistent role of the shared environment on positive well-regulated, with negative dysregulated and typical expressive also moderately heritable with the shared environment being important at some ages. Findings support the presence of theorized biologically based temperament types that develop rapidly in infancy and toddlerhood and provide a foundation for the study of individual differences and risk and resilience processes across the lifespan. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1501235 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Kagan theorized biologically based temperament types that are present in infancy, stable across development, and essential for understanding individual differences. Despite evidence, temperament research remains focused on a few prominent dimensions of temperament, without adequately addressing covariance among dimensions and temperament types. Using longitudinal twin data, we took a person-centered statistical approach to identify temperament types and examined continuity and change across five developmental periods (N[subscript infancy] = 602; N[subscript toddlerhood] = 522; N[subscript early childhood] = 390; N[subscript late childhood] = 718; N[subscript early adolescence] = 700). We then examined the genetic and environmental etiology of temperament types. Twins were boys and girls (51-53% female), primarily Hispanic/Latinx (23-30%) and non-Hispanic/Latinx White (56-63%), and from socioeconomically diverse families (28-38% near-or-below the poverty line). Using latent profile analysis, we identified three temperament types at each age characterized by negative reactivity and dysregulation, positive reactivity and strong self-regulation, and moderate reactivity and regulation. Latent transition analyses revealed considerable continuity in membership type for "negative dysregulated" beginning in infancy, log odds = 1.58 (SE = 0.65) to 3.16 (SE = 0.77), p < 0.01, of remaining relative to transitioning to "typical expressive", and "positive well-regulated" beginning in early childhood, log odds = 1.41 (SE = 0.56) to 2.25 (SE = 0.47), p < 0.05. Twin analyses revealed moderate heritability and a consistent role of the shared environment on positive well-regulated, with negative dysregulated and typical expressive also moderately heritable with the shared environment being important at some ages. Findings support the presence of theorized biologically based temperament types that develop rapidly in infancy and toddlerhood and provide a foundation for the study of individual differences and risk and resilience processes across the lifespan. |
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| ISSN: | 0012-1649 1939-0599 |
| DOI: | 10.1037/dev0001828 |
