title: The correspondence between temperament and peer interactions for normally developing and mildly delayed preschool children.
abstract: The correspondence between temperament characteristics based on the Behavioural Style Questionnaire and the peer relations of normally developing and mildly developmentally delayed preschool-age children was examined in this study. Measures of the peer relations of 64 3- and 4-year-old boys were obtained through an analysis of children's social interactions in a series of specially designed playgroups. Maternal temperament ratings were found to be similar for the younger (3-year-olds) and older (4-year-olds) normally developing children as well as for the mildly delayed group (4-year-olds). Multiple regression analyses indicated that maternal-rated temperament dimensions of persistence and activity level were associated in a logical pattern with both the positive and negative aspects of children's peer relations. Issues related to the construct validity and situation-specificity of the temperament measure were discussed.
authors.affiliation: Child Development and Mental Retardation Center, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Guralnick
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Groom
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010551:Personality; D013694:Temperament