title: Identifying the temperamental roots of children's patterns of security in the interparental relationship.
abstract: Guided by emotional security theory, this study examined the temperamental precursors of distinctive profiles of children's responses to interparental conflict. Participants included 243 children (M = 4.6 years) and their parents across two annual measurement occasions. Temperamental constructs of frustration proneness, approach, positive affect, activity level, and effortful control were assessed through multiple methods, informants, and contexts. Behavioral observations of children's responses to interparental conflict at each wave yielded four profiles: secure (i.e., efficiently address direct threat), mobilizing (i.e., vigilance to potential threat and social opportunities), dominant (i.e., directly defeat threat), and demobilizing (i.e., reduce salience as a target of hostility). Results supported hypotheses on the distinct constellations of temperament in predicting subsequent change in the four security profiles.
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester.
authors.forename: Patrick T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester.
authors.forename: Rochelle F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Hentges
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester.
authors.forename: Melissa L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sturge-Apple
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013694:Temperament