Temperament and problem behaviour during early childhood

Some evidence exists for the phenotypic association of problem behaviour in early childhood with temperament in infancy, but little is known about the genetic and environmental mechanisms mediating this association. At the ag es of 14, 20, 24, and 36 months, mothers of twins completed the Colorado Ch ildhood Temperament Inventory (CCTI; Buss & Plomin, 1984; Rowe & Plomin, 19 77). At age 4, problem behaviour was assessed using maternal reports on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/4-18; Achenbach, 1991). The temperamental t rait of Emotionality at all four prior age points correlated significantly with the CBCL Total Problem Score at 4 years as well as with the broad-band groupings of Internalising the Externalising. In addition, Shyness at all four ages correlated significantly with the broad-band grouping of Internal ising. Longitudinal behavioural genetic analyses indicated that these pheno typic predictions from early temperament to later behaviour problems are la rgely due to genetic factor.