Mutual synergies between reactive and active inhibitory systems of temperament in the development of children's disruptive behavior: Two longitudinal studies

Danming An; Grazyna Kochanska

doi:10.1017/S0954579420001534

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Mutual synergies between reactive and active inhibitory systems of temperament in the development of children's disruptive behavior: Two longitudinal studies

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Mutual synergies between reactive and active inhibitory systems of temperament in the development of children's disruptive behavior: Two longitudinal studies

Danming An and Grazyna Kochanska

Development and psychopathology, Vol.34(3), pp.796-809

08/2022

DOI: 10.1017/S0954579420001534

PMCID: PMC8215084

PMID: 33342456

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Abstract

Individual differences in two inhibitory temperament systems have been implicated as key in the development of early disruptive behaviors. The reactive inhibition system, behavioral inhibition (BI) entails fearfulness, shyness, timidity, and caution. The active inhibition system, or effortful control (EC) entails a capacity to deliberately suppress, modify, or regulate a predominant behavior. Lower scores in each system have been associated with more disruptive behaviors. We examined how the two systems interact, and whether one can alleviate or exacerbate risks due to the other. In two community samples (Study 1, N = 112, ages 2.5 to 4, and Study 2, N = 102, ages 2 to 6.5), we assessed early BI and EC, and future disruptive behaviors (observed disregard for rules in Study 1 and parent-rated externalizing problems in Study 2). Robustly replicated interactions revealed that for children with low BI (relatively fearless), better EC was associated with less disruptive behavior; for children with low EC, more BI was associated with less disruptive behavior. This research extends the investigation of Temperament × Temperament interactions in developmental psychology and psychopathology, and it suggests that reactive and active inhibition systems may play mutually compensatory roles. Those effects emerged after age 2.

effortful control

externalizing problems

disruptive behavior

behavioral inhibition

temperament

longitudinal studies

Details

Title: Subtitle: Mutual synergies between reactive and active inhibitory systems of temperament in the development of children's disruptive behavior: Two longitudinal studies
Creators: Danming An - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Grazyna Kochanska - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Development and psychopathology, Vol.34(3), pp.796-809
DOI: 10.1017/S0954579420001534
PMID: 33342456
PMCID: PMC8215084
NLM abbreviation: Dev Psychopathol
ISSN: 0954-5794
eISSN: 1469-2198
Grant note: R01 HD091047 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 12/21/2020
Date published: 08/2022
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Record Identifier: 9984213426702771

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