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International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction

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01-12-2020 | Original Article

Early Temperament as a Predictor of Child Mental Health

Authors: Elena A. Kozlova, Helena R. Slobodskaya, Maria A. Gartstein

Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction | Issue 6/2020

Abstract

The present follow-up study examined the contribution of early temperament to mental health in preschool and school years. Participants represent a community sample of 96 children (54% female) from urban and rural areas of Russia. Temperament was measured by the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised and the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire; mental health was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Effortful control and negative affectivity accounted for 17% of the variance in internalizing problems and 6% in externalizing problems, and results also highlighted the contribution of lower-order traits. Our findings emphasize the importance of broadband and fine-grained early temperamental traits for later mental health in the Russian context and support the predominant role of effortful control and negative affectivity.

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Title: Early Temperament as a Predictor of Child Mental Health
Authors: Elena A. Kozlova
Helena R. Slobodskaya
Maria A. Gartstein
Publication date: 01-12-2020
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction / Issue 6/2020
Print ISSN: 1557-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1882
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00181-3

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Early Temperament as a Predictor of Child Mental Health

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