Temperamental characteristics have been related to later externalizing and
internalizing behavioral outcomes. To assess the relationship between tempe
rament and the early family environment, we measured infant temperament, pl
easure in parenting, and marital happiness via parent report in 99 families
with a nonrelative adoptive infant, Perceptions of child temperament were
assessed using two subscales of the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ; Rot
hbart, 1981). Mothers and fathers who rated their adoptive child as showing
more Distress to Limitations (on the IBQ) reported less pleasure in routin
e parenting activities;, this effect was mediated by marital happiness for
fathers. Mothers reported less pleasure in parenting with infants perceived
to be more temperamentally fearful (on the IBQ). The bidirectional relatio
nship between temperamental characteristics and pleasure in parenting is di
scussed,