ANTECEDENTS OF ADULT INTERPERSONAL FUNCTIONING - EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES IN AGE-3 TEMPERAMENT

We examined whether temperamental differences at age 3 are linked to i nterpersonal functioning in young adulthood. In a sample of over 900 c hildren, we identified 5 distinct groups of children based on behavior al observations: Well-adjusted, undercontrolled, reserved, confident, and inhibited. At age 21, we assessed the children's interpersonal fun ctioning in 4 social contexts: in the social network, at home, in roma ntic relationships, and at work. We found three patterns of relations: (a) Well-adjusted, reserved, and confident children defined a heterog eneous range of normative adult interpersonal behavior, (b) inhibited children had lower levels of social support but normative adjustment i n romantic relationships and at work, and (c) undercontrolled children had lower levels of adjustment and greater interpersonal conflict acr oss adult social contexts.