Temperament in Early Childhood: A Primer for the Perplexed

The author presents an overview of basic concepts of early childhood temperament and argues that child behavior is the result of the interplay between nature and culture. Due to inconsistencies in the field, temperament research and clinical application can be challenging for early childhood practitioners to interpret and apply to their daily work. By using multiple methods to clinically assess temperament, practitioners can acknowledge that infant/toddler behavior may vary across both setting and social partner. When considering a child's behavior, clinicians should offer the temperament explanation as only one of many hypotheses. Clinicians can use the concept of temperament to show parents how not to take the child's difficulties so personally, thus reducing blame on both child and parent.