This study is an investigation of the role of temperament in predicting children's psychological adjustment (internalizing and externalizing problems and positive adjustment). Temperament will be investigated within an ecological model of children's development. In this model temperament is proposed to moderate or mediate the influence of environmental (negative life events and multiple risk) and parenting risk factors and influence children stress responses (appraisal and coping) in predicting children's adjustment. Temperament will be investigated as a predictor of children's appraisals and coping, and as a moderator of the effects of environmental risk factors. Also, the transactional relation between temperament and parenting will be tested. The study will utilize a community-based sample (N of approximately 254) in order to assess normative developmental processes. Children (third and fourth grade at time 1) and parents will be recruited through children's classrooms and interviewed in the families homes. Families will be interviewed three times with the interviews occurring 1 year apart. Structured interviews and observation tasks will be conducted by trained undergraduate research assistants. Teacher reports of children's temperament and adjustment will also be obtained. Multiple regression, confirmatory factor analyses, structural equations modeling and latent growth curve modeling will be used to test the hypotheses. Findings of this study will lead to a better understanding of which children are at greatest risk for developing psychological problems in the presence of environmental risk, and the types of problems they may be most likely to develop, internalizing or externalizing. This study will also identify predictors of resilience and positive adjustment in response to stress or risk.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
First Independent Research Support & Transition (FIRST) Awards (R29)
Project #
5R29MH057703-03
Application #
6185817
Study Section
Child/Adolescent Risk and Prevention Review Committee (CAPR)
Program Officer
Boyce, Cheryl A
Project Start
1998-09-30
Project End
2003-05-31
Budget Start
2000-06-01
Budget End
2001-05-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$119,971
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
135646524
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
Zalewski, Maureen; Thompson, Stephanie F; Lengua, Liliana J (2017) Parenting as a Moderator of the Effects of Maternal Depressive Symptoms on Preadolescent Adjustment. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 46:563-572
Thompson, Stephanie F; Lengua, Liliana J; Garcia, Connie Meza (2016) Appraisal and coping as mediators of the effects of cumulative risk on preadolescent adjustment. J Child Fam Stud 25:1416-1429
Thompson, Stephanie F; Zalewski, Maureen; Lengua, Liliana J (2014) Appraisal and coping styles account for the effects of temperament on preadolescent adjustment. Aust J Psychol 66:122-129
King, Kevin M; Lengua, Liliana J; Monahan, Kathryn C (2013) Individual differences in the development of self-regulation during pre-adolescence: connections to context and adjustment. J Abnorm Child Psychol 41:57-69
Kiff, Cara J; Lengua, Liliana J; Bush, Nicole R (2011) Temperament variation in sensitivity to parenting: predicting changes in depression and anxiety. J Abnorm Child Psychol 39:1199-212
Zalewski, Maureen; Lengua, Liliana J; Wilson, Anna C et al. (2011) Associations of coping and appraisal styles with emotion regulation during preadolescence. J Exp Child Psychol 110:141-58
Zalewski, Maureen; Lengua, Liliana J; Wilson, Anna C et al. (2011) Emotion regulation profiles, temperament, and adjustment problems in preadolescents. Child Dev 82:951-66
Wilson, Anna C; Lengua, Liliana J; Meltzoff, Andrew N et al. (2010) Parenting and temperament prior to September 11, 2001, and parenting specific to 9/11 as predictors of children's posttraumatic stress symptoms following 9/11. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 39:445-59
Bush, Nicole R; Lengua, Liliana J; Colder, Craig R (2010) Temperament as a moderator of the relation between neighborhood and children's adjustment. J Appl Dev Psychol 31:351-361
Zhou, Qing; Lengua, Liliana J; Wang, Yun (2009) The relations of temperament reactivity and effortful control to children's adjustment problems in China and the United States. Dev Psychol 45:724-39

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