Define temperament. Describe the difficult child, according to Thomas and Chess

What will be an ideal response?


When we describe one person as cheerful and "upbeat," another as active and energetic, and still others as calm, cautious, persistent, or prone to angry outbursts, we are referring to temperament. Temperament is early-appearing, stable individual differences in reactivity and self-regulation. Reactivity refers to quickness and intensity of emotional arousal, attention, and motor activity. Self-regulation refers to strategies that modify that reactivity. The psychological traits that make up temperament are believed to form the cornerstone of the adult personality.
Researchers Alexander Thomas and Stella Chess developed a model of temperament that inspired all others that followed. Thomas and Chess identified the difficult child as irregular in daily routines, slow to accept new experiences, and tending to react negatively and intensely. Difficult children at high risk for adjustment problems—both anxious withdrawal and aggressive behavior in early and middle childhood.

Psychology

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When Trish was between 6 and 12 months old, her mother was diagnosed with major depression and was unable to care for Trish in a positive manner

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Psychology

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Psychology