Child and Adolescent Disposition Model: An Examination of the Temperament Factor Structure Within Early Childhood. (October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mathesius, Jeff; Lussier, Patrick; Corrado, Raymond
• Is Part Of: International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology. Volume 61:Number 13(2017)
• Page Start: 1500
• Page End: 1526
• Publication Date: 2017-10
• Subjects: temperament -- negative emotionality -- daring -- prosociality -- conduct problems -- early childhood -- confirmatory factor analysis; Criminals -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Criminal psychology -- Periodicals; Violent offenders -- Periodicals; Sex offenders -- Periodicals; Criminology -- Periodicals; 364.3
• DOI: 10.1177/0306624X16672931
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-624X

Abstract

Lahey and Waldman proposed a temperament theory of conduct disorder (CD). Critical is the hypothesized temperament structure in which three relatively uncorrelated temperament dimensions (i.e., negative emotionality, daring, prosociality) central to CD are theorized to emerge in early childhood. The validity of this hypothesized factor structure in early childhood is unknown. The current study seeks to fill this gap by examining Lahey and Waldman's hypothesized temperament structure utilizing a Canadian sample ( n = 283) of preschoolers. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were performed to compare the hypothesized relatively uncorrelated temperament structure with two alternative models (i.e., correlated three-factor and single-factor structure). The CFA indicated that the temperament dimensions are present in early childhood and are relatively uncorrelated consistent with previous work at later developmental stages. Of importance, the findings highlighted key gender differences observable at 3 and 4 years of age. The theoretical implications are discussed.