CHESS AND THOMAS PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORY

Child Temperament

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An Assignment Submitted to
SER ROSENFRANZ ESPARTERO, RN
Faculty of the Education Earning Units
Brokenshire College Socsksargen Inc.
General Santos City

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In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Subject

EDUC 1 – Child and Adolescent Development

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Roselyn T. de Jesus

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November 25, 2017

Article 1: How temperament affects parents, children, and family life. (Keogh,
2016)

Temperament influences family life wherein its “mix” between both parents’

and children’s has a strong effect on family life. Positive interactions, frustrations,

and conflicts are possible outcomes of that “mix”. It is interesting to note that parents

differ in expectations they have about their children’s behavior, and how they would

view and tolerate its difference.

Children with learning disabilities are expected to have extra demands for

parents and siblings. It is said to be easier for them to respond to extra demands

when a child is “easy” than the “difficult” one. Understanding temperament is

important to improve family life. It reframes how you interpret it, affects the way you

think about the reasons for such behavior and on how you response thus reducing

your negative reactions. It is important not to use it as an excuse for a child’s

unacceptable behavior, but on how it is responded. Understanding it helps you

anticipate when and where there are apt to be problems. Awareness of individual

differences in temperament provides a positive way to prevent and manage

problems that can result from a mismatch of behavioral styles within your family.

It is really important to understand temperament not only for the child but to

oneself. It may help in adjusting the approach appropriate for the child as well as to

educate the parent/guardian in handling such especially for the ones with learning

disabilities.
Article 2: Accommodating Different Personalities and Temperaments. (Speaks-
Fold, 2008)

Key dimensions with descriptions and basic clusters are presented. Infants’

communication through cries and emotional expressions is showed with

approximated time of emergence. The first conflict and important one of the stages

of development to know when observing children from age’s birth to approximately

two years of age is the trust versus mistrust stage of emotional development wherein

intensity occurs at 6-7 months age range. Attachment categories when infants at

toddler years wherein autonomy versus shame and doubt play an important role in

the shaping of a toddler’s personality and emotional development thus

accommodating guidelines are needed.

By providing the expectancies of these children, we can successfully provide

an appropriate environment that will encourage the flourishing of balanced

personalities, even temperaments and growing curiosity. We have responsibilities in

“growing” young children and an opportunity to be part of a young child’s positive

vision of the world, of others and self. Understand and accept children’s

personalities and temperaments as part of the unique qualities of every person.

Early childhood years are growing years that form the foundation for later learning.

Noting and understanding the child’s reactions starting from infancy, as well

as the stages of development he/she is going through, we could provide the

necessary environment, understanding as well as a help in forming the child’s

foundation of learning.
Article 3: Temperament and Child Development. (Umansky, 2010)

Factors that affect some types of temperament are studied. Gender, wherein

aggression is usually more exhibited in boys than in girls. Children showing

aggression were rejected by peers more often than those who were not. Type of

stress encountered in early years and dealing with it could also affect temperament.

Living in poverty, multiple hospital stays, or coming from a dysfunctional home risks

children for long-lasting psychosocial disorder. Some resilient children handle stress

better than others and many progress through adverse early years relatively

undamaged benefitting from adults in competent and caring family and community.

Sibling relationships could affect child’s social interaction for they spend a lot

of time with siblings when they are still young. They give children the opportunity to

practice social skills and engage in positive social exchanges and to resolve conflict

with partners who have a similar level of sophistication. Parental style of interaction

also affects child’s temperament whether as authoritative, authoritarian, or

permissive. Social relationship of children could extend to extended family,

neighborhood and school, and places of worship. Parents could supervise children’s

choice of activities and friends, initiate and arrange play dates for their children, and

could enroll child in organized activities like religious (pre)school.

Most of the factors that may affect the child’s temperament start in infancy

and developed at home. We should be careful in dealing with different

temperaments and to know the background of the child to fully understand why such

behavior is being exhibited and how to deal with it. Educating and carefully choosing

people around the child would help.

 References

Keogh, B. (2016, March 14). GreatSchools. Retrieved November 14, 2017, from
https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/temperament-affects-parents-children-
family/

Speaks-Fold, V. (2008). Earlychildhood NEWS. Retrieved November 14, 2017, from

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=303

Umansky, S. H. (2010, July 20). Education.com. Retrieved November 14, 2017, from
https://www.education.com/reference/article/temperament-child-development/