1. Objectifs

Intentions :
« The goal of this research was to compare a new observational temperament measure with an existing temperament questionnaire in the prediction of concurrent child and parent functionning and later school adjustment. » (p. iii)

Questions/Hypothèses :
- « Assess the congruence between observer perceptions of behavioural style (the BSOS) in the home environment and maternal ratings [...];
- Determine the contribution of the BSOS to the prediction of children’s and parent’s adaptive functioning [...];
- Determine the predictive validity of observational and maternally rated temperament with regards to children’s early school adaptation [...];
- Investigate the continuity of temperament from the infancy and preschool years to the early years of children’s schooling [...]. » (p. 30)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
Study 1: « 4, 109 francophone school-aged children who were attending grades one, four and seven in lower socio-economic neighborhood in Montreal, Quebec. » (p. 34)
Study 2: « A follow-up study of the 175 families from the Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project (CLRP) [...]. » (p. 78)

Instruments :
- EAS Temperament Survey (EAS; Buss & Plomim, 1984);
- Videotaped mother-child interactions (home visits);
- Behavioural Style Observational System (BSOS; Karp, 1999);
- Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Second Edition, Bayley, 1993);
- French translation of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (SB-IV; Thorndike et al., 1986);
- French translation of the Child Behaviour Checklist - Parent Report Form (CBCL-PRF; Achenbach, 1991);
- The Demographic Information Questionnaire (DIQ; Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project, 1993);
- Maternal education (Auerbach et al., 1992; Coplan et al., 1999);
- Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 1991);
- Conners Parent Rating Scales-48 (CPRS-48; Conners, 1990);
- Teacher versions of the Child Behaviour Checklist (TRF; Achenbach, 1991) and the Conners Rating Scales (CTRS-28; Conners, 1990);
- French translation of the Social Competence Scale (SCT; Gifford-Smith, 2000);
- Final report cards;
- Bilan Qualitatif de l’Apprentissage de la lecture (BQAL; Campeau-Filion & Gauthier, 1989);
- Weschler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT; The Psychological Corporation, 1992).

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu et analyse statistique

3. Résumé

« The findings suggested modest congruence between observationnal and maternally rated temperament. Interestingly, the observational and maternal ratings showed a differential predictive pattern. Specifically, maternal ratings predicted internalizing behaviours, whereas the observational ratings predicted cognitive functioning and adaptive behaviour during the cognitive assessment. Importantly, observational ratings showed unique incremental value in the prediction of parenting stress. In the longitudinal study, however, maternal ratings provided a more reliable prediction of later school adjustment relative to the observational system. Temperament was found to be moderately stable over time. The findings suggest that observational ratings, although this interpretation is somewhat limited to contemporaneous measurement. This investigation also provides validation for the role of maternal ratings in predicting children’s concurrent and longitudinal functionning. Taken together, this research highlights the importance of adopting a multi-method approach to the study of child temperament. » (pp. iii-iv)