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ABSTRACT:
This study examines infant temperament (inhibited and uninhibited styles) as a predictor of behavior in the kindergarten classroom. Thirty-one kindergarten children were observed in their classrooms for approximately 1.5 hours on each of four occasions between September and January. Fourteen children (8 girls, 6 boys) had been classified as high reactive at 4 months of age and inhibited at 14 and 21 months; 17 (7 girls, 10 boys) were low-reactive at 4 months, and uninhibited at 14 and 21 months. Modest evidence for continuity in temperament was found, and, as predicted, differences were most apparent for classroom behaviors that might be stressful for socially inhibited children. The results show some differences between girls and boys and describe trends in classroom behavior as children make the transition to kindergarten. These findings identify temperament as a factor that influences children's adjustment to kindergarten and contributes to a body of work that identifies early risk factors for later behavioral problems.
The transition to kindergarten has become a problem of national importance. A national survey of kindergarten teachers shows that almost half of the children who enter kindergarten show some behavior problems upon kindergarten entry. The most prevalent problems are social and self-regulatory in nature. More than half of American teachers report that one-third or more children come to school unable to follow directions, work independently, or cooperate well with childrenproblems that are even more prevalent in areas of high poverty concentration (RimmKaufman, Pianta, & Cox, 2000). This evidence points to the transition to kindergarten experience as one that poses challenges to children and draws our attention to early attributes that might contribute to problems during transition.
Three observations about the transition to kindergarten inform the present study. First, early school problems are often long lasting. Many children do not fit easily into the role of student in kindergarten and first grade, resulting in adjustment problems and reduced academic gains; this combined effect has long-lasting consequences for academic achievement (Entwisle, Alexander, Pallas, & Cadigan, 1988). Second, problems during the transition to school are multidetermined and may be both environmentally and/or biologically based. In particular, inattentiveness, self-regulatory problems, and negative emotionality may be a function of environmental adversity (Conroy & Brown, 2004), psychobiological profiles, or both (Blair, 2002)....
