An Exploratory Study of Temperament Traits in a Population of Children at Risk

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Abstract
Parents of 327 elementary school children classified as hyperactive, poorly adjusted, low-achieving, or control subjects were interviewed on questions pertaining to their child's infancy and early childhood. On a factor analysis, six temperament traits emerged: (a) attention span, (b) threshold level, (c) activity level, (d) distractibility, (e) adaptability, and (f) rhythmicity. Temperament patterns of the subject groups were compared by ANOVA and Scheffe contrasts. On all dimensions the hyperactive group showed the most extreme scores; however, they differed significantly from the others only on distractibility. Findings suggest that hyperactive children appear to have a biological system that overreacts in both home and school environments, which makes it difficult for parents and teachers to accommodate to their behavior, producing a circular, persistent pattern of overactive and overresponsive behavior in the child.

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