Temperament measure

Temperament has been less consistently measured across previous waves of Growing

Up in Ireland. A decision was taken to use a shortened version of the Infant

Behaviour Scale for Cohort 24 at 9 months, based on what had been used for the

pilot of the UK’s Early Life Feasibility Study. In contrast Cohort 08 had used Bates’

(1979) Infant Characteristics Questionnaire at 9 months, and an abbreviated version

of the Short Temperament Scale for Toddler (STST; Sewell et al. 1988) for the age 3

follow-up.

The STST measure was previously used by the LSAC study. It comprises three

subscales – reactivity, sociability, and persistence – across 13 items. Re-using this

measure for Cohort 24 at 3 years would allow for cross-cohort comparisons but this

capacity may not be as pressing for temperament as some other constructs. If there

were a toddler version of the measure used with Cohort 24 at 9 months, longitudinal

consistency in temperament measure would likely be considered more valuable by

researchers. However, as the Early Life Feasibility study had not progressed to age 3

by the time of writing, it isn’t yet known whether such a measure – at least in

abbreviated form – will be available in time for use in Growing Up in Ireland.

It would be sufficient to have just one report of the child’s temperament, from the

primary caregiver, as for Cohort 08 at 3.

Recommendations for Cohort 24 at 3 years:

•Repeat parent-reported SDQ as used with Cohort 08 at age 3

•Explore whether an age 3 version of the abbreviated temperament measure used with Cohort 24 at 9 months is available

Parental mental health