Temperament factors predict resilience in a non-clinical kindergarten population

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between resilience and temperament dimensions of emotionality, activity, sociability, and shyness in a sample of Hungarian kindergarten aged children (N=166). Since self-reported measures of resilience and temperament dimensions of emotionality, activity, sociability, and shyness does not exist in Hungarian language, we have developed parent-report questionnaires and assessed psychometric properties of these constructs.MethodsThe 10-item Hungarian Resilience Scale: Parental Ratings (HRS-P-10) was created based on the Hungarian adult resilience scale of Járai et al (2015). The 20-item EAS Temperament Survey for Children: Parental Ratings (EAS-P-20) was translated from English (Buss & Plomin, 1984). 166 parents filled out the above two questionnaires about their kindergarten-aged children and provided basic demographic information.ResultsReliability analysis confirmed that both questionnaires show appropriate internal consistency. The single scale structure of resilience was confirmed by factor analysis, and this construct is significantly (p<0.01) correlated with all four EAS temperament dimensions: emotionality (r = – .29), activity (r = .35), sociability (r = .32) and shyness (r = – .44).ConclusionsResults confirm that the HRS-P-10 and the EAS-P-20 are adequate parental questionnaires to be used in non-clinical studies with kindergarten-aged children. Results extend findings related to the link between childhood temperament and resilience and underline the importance of a multi-level, system-based approach to resilience.