Information about temperament was reported on by the mother at 6 separate assessments through the child’s fifth year of age. Developmentally appropriate instruments were used. From age 6 to 24 months, the Carey Infant (Toddler) Temperament (CIT) Scale (Carey and McDevitt, 1978) was employed, which contains 9 subscales (intensity, activity, rhythmicity, approach, adaptability, mood, persistence, distractibility, and threshold). The Emotionality, Activity, and Sociability (EAS) Temperament Scale (Buss and Plomin, 1984) was administered at 38, 57, and 69 months and consists of 4 subscales (emotionality, shyness, sociability, and activity). At 42 months, the Revised Rutter Parent Scale for Preschool Children (Elander and Rutter, 1996) was also administered, which assesses total behavioral difficulties, prosocial behavior, hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and peer problems.
