The Effects of Temperament and Perceived Maternal Rejection on Childhood Anxiety and Behaviour Problems

Abstract

In order to examine the effects of children's temperament and its interaction with children's perceptions of their mother's acceptance and rejection in relation to self-reported anxiety and teacher-reported school behaviour problems, 160 children, aged 8 to 11 years, were evaluated by teachers, mothers and themselves. Findings showed that children's perceptions of rejection are a greater predictor of anxiety and are also related to more emotional/behavioural control problems among high than low activity arousal children regardless of whether or not children perceive their mothers as rejective. Attentional intensity is also a part of this picture; the combination of high activity arousal and low attentional intensivity related to greater anxiety and was also related to more interpersonal relationship problems among children regardless of whether or not children perceive their mothers as rejective. Further, rejection was linked to greater interpersonal relationship problems among low emotionality arousal than high emotionality arousal children. In contrast, in predicting interpersonal relationships, high emotional arousal was found to be related to more problems than was low emotional arousal when children's perception of mothers was acceptive.