Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008. / Title from title screen (site viewed Nov. 25, 2008). PDF text: 137 p. : ill. ; 2 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3315159. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between temperament and styles of coping with daily hassles. Parents of 86 four-year-old children attending preschools and child care centers located in Southwest Virginia completed measures of temperament and coping. The Behavioral Style Questionnaire (BSQ), designed by Carey and McDevitt, was used to assess each child's temperament. Responses were used to categorize children as having easy, difficult, slow-to-warm-up, or intermediate temperaments. The Coping Styles Inventory for Preschool Children (CSIPC) was developed by the researcher to provide a profile of each child's coping style among the techniques of feeling, thinking, acting, and reacting. Once the data were collected, numerous statistical procedures were performed. These included Pearson Product Moment Correlations, Analyses of Variance, and Chi-squares. The findings indicated that children with difficult temperaments employed cognitive, or thinking, styles of coping when confronted with daily hassles. A better understanding of how children with different temperaments cope with hassles, and stress in general, should enable parents, child care workers, and all those working closely with children to communicate with them more effectively. New and improved methods for instructing children on effective coping techniques can be developed and implemented when professionals have a more accurate perception of the predominant methods currently used by these children. / Master of Science / incomplete_metadata

Previous research has shown that the intrapersonal characteristics (e.g., temperament) of children are associated closely with alterations in the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary–adrenal (HPA) stress axis. However, consistently capturing direct associations between these characteristics and stress reactivity of the HPA axis has, at times, yielded disparate findings. Thus, using the Rothbart model of temperament (Rothbart & Derryberry, 1981) as a guide, the main goal of this project was to investigate and identify intrapersonal characteristics that moderate associations between other intrapersonal characteristics of the child and stress reactivity during development (e.g., trait by trait interactions). Additionally, study variables were assessed for meaningful associations and, on average differences between those who responded to the stressor paradigm and those who did not. A sample of 45 male and 37 female students (n=82, M= 9.66 yrs.) from six, fourth and fifth grade classes partook in a mathematically based stressor paradigm administered in the classroom. Salivary cortisol and behavior measures were collected in two waves over a 7-week period. Several significant results emerged. Overall, children who responded to the stressor paradigm had significantly higher levels of traits associated with a more inhibited behavioral style. Further, several meaningful interactions surfaced in which intrapersonal characteristics of various categories, including reactive, regulatory, and ambiguous, interacted with one another to predict stress reactivity. Of note, the majority of the interactions involved self-regulation and surgency. These two intrapersonal characteristics interacted with several others, helping to elucidate the unique influences of these intrapersonal characteristics on each other and, subsequently, stress reactivity of the HPA axis. These results illustrate that interactions between multiple intrapersonal characteristics should be taken into consideration in the future when studying the relationships between intrapersonal characteristics and stress reactivity of the HPA axis. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The current study examined relations between temperamental reactivity at 6 months and social competence in first grade, including if emotion regulation at 54 months played a role as mediator and/or moderator between temperamental reactivity and social competence in first grade. Previous studies have shown that children who are high on temperamental reactivity early on will have poorer social competence in the future (Houck, 1999). This study explored how emotion regulation might mediate this relationship as well as how emotion regulation may serve as a protective factor (e.g., moderator) for those with higher temperamental reactivity. Important background characteristics of child gender and ethnicity, mother's education, and income-to-needs ratio were controlled for. Results indicated that temperamental reactivity at 6 months did not play a significant role in social competence in first grade, nor on emotion regulation at 54 months. Emotion regulation at 54 months was also found to be neither a mediator nor a moderator between this relationship between temperamental reactivity and social competence. The only significant relationship that was found was that between emotion regulation at 54 months and social competence in first grade, which aligns with previous research. / Graduation date: 2013

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Psychology

Thesis supervisor: Lee Anna Clark. Includes bibliographic references (p. 92-107).

Transition to parenthood is a major life event that affects both fathers and mothers. Being a potentially stressful period, it can predispose vulnerable individuals to mental health problems. Compared with maternal studies, there is a dearth of longitudinal research on the psychological impact of transition to fatherhood, particularly with anxiety problems. There are emerging studies demonstrating the adverse consequences of paternal postpartum depression on infant outcomes. It is important to investigate paternal postpartum depression and anxiety and address their relationships with poor infant outcomes which will contribute to the recognition of the problems and the development of early intervention. The current study aimed to contribute to greater knowledge on risk factors of paternal postpartum mental health problems, and their adverse impact on infants, as well as understanding the possible mediating mechanisms underlying such a relationship. A total of 654 couples completed self-report questionnaires at third trimester of pregnancy using validated self-report psychological instruments to evaluate fathers' prenatal mental health. Among them, 255 couples were examined longitudinally at six week postpartum for depression and anxiety symptoms, and fathers were also assessed for marital satisfaction, self-esteem, social support, and postpartum attachment with infants. At six months postpartum, 121couples were again surveyed to assess their infants’ temperament and development. According to established cut-offs, 12.0% and 13.1% of fathers experienced significant postpartum depression and anxiety. No demographic risk factors were found for postpartum depression or anxiety. Multiple regression analyses indicated that low martial satisfaction, low self-esteem, fathers having prenatal anxiety and depression, partners having postpartum depression predicted fathers’ postpartum depression. Low marital satisfaction, low self-esteem, poor social support and fathers having prenatal anxiety were significant risk factors for fathers’ postpartum anxiety. Depressed and anxious fathers reported having less patience and tolerance, pleasure in interaction, and affection and pride with their infants. Paternal postpartum depression was related to reduced infants’ falling reactivity, and poor social and total development in infants; while postpartum anxiety was associated with heightened infants’ distress to limitations, reduced failing reactivity and greater sadness. Baron and Kenny’s criteria was used to investigate whether poor paternal attachment with infants mediated these relationships. Pleasure in interaction partially mediated the relationship between paternal postpartum depression and social as well as total development in infants, whereas affection and pride mediated between fathers' postpartum depression and infants' falling reactivity as well as social development. Affection and pride also served as a partial mediator between fathers' postpartum anxiety and infants’ failing reactivity. Findings revealed that paternal postpartum depression and anxiety are significant mental health problems. Low marital satisfaction, low self-esteem, poor social support, prenatal depression and anxiety, and partners' postpartum depression could contribute to these problems. Postpartum depression and anxiety could reduce fathers' attachment with infants, which adversely impacted infants' temperament and development. The current study also addressed that risk factors for paternal postpartum depression and anxiety were different, and they had distinctive environmental pathways affecting infant outcomes. This provides significant implications for designing timely and effective interventions to improve fathers' well-being and proper father-infant interaction. (499 / published_or_final_version / Psychiatry / Master / Master of Philosophy

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-108). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008. / Directed by Susan P. Keane; submitted to Dept. of Psychology. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Apr. 13, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 24-30).