Police officers are exposed to stress outside the range of usual human experience. The operational duties of police work, by their very nature, may at any time place officers in life threatening situations (McCraty, Tomasino, Atkinson and Sundram, 1999). These life threatening situations often lead police officers to experience different kinds of trauma. Certain temperament characteristics have throughout time been implicated as vulnerabilities toward trauma (Marais, 2005). This research study aimed to investigate this relationship between temperament styles and the effects of traumatic events on police officers working as dog handlers at the SAPS Dog Unit, Soweto. An exploratory-descriptive research design with a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods was used to address the aims of the study. Use of the Keirsey’s Temperament Sorter indicated that from the fifteen respondents who took part in this study the majority demonstrated a tendency towards extraversion, sensation, feeling and judging. The sensation subscales showed a weak, yet significant relationship with both intrusion and avoidance symptoms which were measured by the Impact of Event Scale – Revised (IES-R). In addition to the IES-R the researcher made use of a semi-structured interview schedule to determine the effects that traumatic work incidents had on the respondents. Common themes that emerged from the interviews included: denial, emotional detachment, lack of trust and a lack of selfknowledge. The main conclusion that emerged from the study was the need to empower police officers by helping them gain self-awareness in terms of their unique ways of coping with trauma.

O presente estudo teve por objetivo examinar os indicadores de temperamento e comportamento de crianças nascidas pré-termo em comparação a crianças nascidas a termo, assim como nos subgrupos de crianças nascidas pré-termo extremo, muito pré-termo, pré-termo moderado e tardio, na fase de 18 a 36 meses de idade cronológica. Além disso, examinou-se o efeito preditor da prematuridade, dos fatores do temperamento e das variáveis da criança e ambientais no comportamento das crianças. A amostra foi composta por 100 crianças, sendo 50 nascidas pré-termo (PT) que passaram por internação em Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo Neonatal e 50 nascidas a termo (AT), e suas mães. A amostra dos subgrupos de crianças nascidas pré-termo foi composta por 14 crianças nascidas pré-termo extremo (PTE) e 36 crianças nascidas muito pré-termo, pré-termo moderado e tardio (PTM/Mo/Ta). Em ambos os grupos as crianças estavam na faixa de 18-36 meses de idade cronológica. Os dados foram coletados em uma única sessão de entrevista face a face com as mães das crianças PT e de forma autoadministrada com as mães das crianças AT. Aplicou-se as versões brasileiras do Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ), para avaliação do temperamento, e do Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1 ½ -5), para avaliação de problemas de comportamento das crianças. Além disso, foram aplicados questionários de caracterização da amostra e utilizado o Critério de Classificação Econômica Brasil da Associação Brasileira de Empresas e Pesquisa. Foram processadas as análises estatísticas descritivas e inferenciais. Para a comparação entre grupos (PTvs.AT e PTEvs.PTM/Mo/Ta) foram utilizados os testes t-independente de Student e Qui-quadrado. Utilizou-se os testes ANOVA e MANOVA para examinar as potenciais diferenças entre os grupos relacionadas ao temperamento e comportamento das crianças, controlando-se idade da criança, frequência à escola, sexo e nível socioeconômico. Foram realizadas análises de regressão linear múltiplas a fim de encontrar o melhor modelo explicativo das variáveis preditas (problemas de comportamento Totais, Externalizantes e Internalizantes). O nível de significância adotado no estudo foi de p <= 0,05. Em relação ao temperamento, o grupo PT apresentou maior escore nos fatores Afeto Negativo e Extroversão, assim como nas dimensões antecipação positiva, desconforto, sensibilidade perceptual, prazer de baixa intensidade e transferência de atenção, quando comparado ao grupo AT. O grupo PTE apresentou mais sensibilidade perceptual em comparação ao grupo PTM/Mo/Ta. Observou-se que, quanto maior a idade da criança, mais Controle com Esforço, assim como mais aconchego, controle inibitório, medo e antecipação positiva, e menos ativação motora. Quanto ao comportamento das crianças, o padrão de comportamento foi predominantemente normal, em ambos os grupos e subgrupos. Os problemas de comportamento Totais, Externalizantes e Internalizantes foram preditos por mais Afeto Negativo, moderado por menor idade gestacional, e menos Controle com Esforço. Esses achados contribuem para a compreensão do impacto dos riscos do nascimento prematuro nos indicadores disposicionais do temperamento e na constituição dos problemas de comportamento no desenvolvimento das crianças. É importante que programas de follow-up de prematuros considerem as intervenções preventivas de orientações de pais a fim de mediar os processos regulatórios ao longo do desenvolvimento das crianças / The present study aimed to examine the temperament and behavior indicators of preterm toddlers compared to full-term counterparts, as well as in the subgroups of toddlers born extremely preterm and very preterm, moderate preterm and late preterm, in the phase of 18 to 36 months of chronological age. In addition, we examined the predictive effect of prematurity, temperament factors, and child and environmental variables on children\'s behavior. The sample consisted of 100 toddlers, of whom 50 were born preterm, who were hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and 50 full-term (FT) counterparts enrolled in private schools. The sample of subgroups of preterm toddlers consisted of 14 toddlers born extremely preterm (PTE) and 36 toddlers born very preterm, moderate and late preterm (VPT/Mo/La). In both groups, the toddlers were in the range of 18-36 months of chronological age. Data were collected in a single face-to-face interview with the mothers of the PT toddlers and in a self-administered form with the mothers of the FT toddlers. The Brazilian versions of Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ) and Achenbach\'s Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1 ½ -5) were used to assess children\'s temperament and behavioral problems. In addition, questionnaires were applied to characterize the sample and it used the Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria of the Brazilian Association of Companies and Research. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyzes were processed. For the comparison between groups of sociodemographic chacteristics (PTvs.FT and PTEvs.VPT/Mo/La), it was used the ANOVA and MANOVA tests to examine the potential differences between the groups related to temperament and behavior of the children controlling the child\'s age, school attendance, sex, and socioeconomic level. Multiple linear regression analyzes were calculated in order to find the best explanatory model of the predicted variables (Total, Externalizing, and Interalizing behaviors problem). The level of significance adopted in the study was p <= 0.05. Regarding temperament, the PT group presented a higher score in the Negative Affectivity and Surgency factors, as well as in the positive anticipation, discomfort, perceptual sensitivity, low intensity pleasure and attention shifting, than the FT group. The VPT group presented more perceptual sensitivity than the VPT/Mo/La group. It was observed that the greater the age of the child, the more Effortful Control, as well as more cuddliness, inhibitory control, fear and positive anticipation, and less motor activation. Regarding to the behavior of the children, the pattern of behavior was predominantly normal in both groups and subgroups. The Total, Externalizing, and Internalizing behavior problems were predicted by more Negative Affectivity, moderated by lower gestational age, and less Effortful Control. These findings contribute to the understanding of the impact of the risks of preterm birth on dispositional indicators of temperament and the constitution of behavioral problems throughout children´s development. It is important that follow-up programs for preterm infants consider preventive interventions in parental guidance in order to mediate regulatory processes throughout child development

Sensory-processing sensitivity, or neurosensitivity, is a biologically-based personality dimension with implications for personality, creativity and cognition. This thesis focuses on sensitivity and its cognitive implications using recent state-of-the-art sensitivity and creativity assessments with an aim to identify objective cognitive tests of sensitivity that can supplement self-report measures, whilst providing insight into the brain basis for creativity. In Chapter 1, we review literature on creativity and sensitivity. Chapter 2 presents new evidence that positive-affect-related dimensions of sensitivity benefit creativity independently and/or interactively with Big-Five openness. Factor analysis in Chapter 3 provides important evidence that multiple dimensions of sensitivity are distinct from Big-Five personality traits. Chapter 4 and 5 explore sensitivity-related attention components in relation to endogenous and exogenous attention tasks, revealing that positive-affect-related sensitivity is characterized by differences in exogenous inhibition-of-return, and defocused, disinhibited attention states that facilitate creative potential. Chapter 6 shows sensitivity has positive implications for learning and memory processes, demonstrating that neurosensitivity affects neuroplasticity favourably. Chapter 7 explores how individual differences in unconscious cognitive mechanisms of latent inhibition (LI) may underlie higher creative potential and achievement in sensitive, open creators, as theory and evidence suggest low LI in high sensitivity and creative achievement. No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that LI differs in sensitivity, or underlies the sensitive creator. All findings are interpreted in light of a new sensitivity framework that is consistent with cognitive disinhibition and hemispheric asymmetry hypotheses of creativity and models of the creative process suggesting an important role for conscious and unconscious cognition.

Substantial empirical literatures link executive functioning (EF) and temperament, respectively, to externalizing behaviors (e.g., hyperactivity, impulsivity, conduct problems), but they rarely have been considered jointly. As indices of presumed brain function, neither neuropsychological scores nor temperament traits alone are sufficient as a comprehensive developmental model of externalizing behaviors. The current study aimed to examine the triangular relation among temperament traits, EF, and externalizing behaviors in a community sample of male youth. Participants included 174 male youth 11 to 16 years (M =13.4; SD=1.4) and their mothers. Youth were administered a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological measures tapping the broad domain of executive functions and overall intellectual functioning and completed a personality measure assessing both primary traits and broad temperaments. Mothers reported on their son's temperament and behaviors. Results indicated that, as expected, high Negative Temperament and Disinhibition were associated with both youth and mother reports of externalizing behaviors, with similar cross-informant associations. Specific EF dimensions were correlated with both temperament and externalizing behaviors and provided an incremental contribution above and beyond temperament in explaining externalizing behaviors. Results of the study contribute to the extant literature concerning the dimension of externalizing and inform future research on developing a comprehensive etiological model of externalizing behaviors.

Dynamic interactions of behavior-related traits and the physiological stress response bear upon the beef industry by impacting animal welfare, health, and productivity. The specific mechanisms of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction as related to cattle temperament remain unclear. To further characterize endophenotypes associated with the complex interaction of environment and genotype, the following experiments focused on stimulation and regulation of the pituitary gland in cattle of differing genetic background and temperament. Using serial blood sampling, via jugular cannula, the pituitary and subsequent adrenal response to exogenous vasopressin (VP) was characterized for steers of an excitable or calm temperament. Exit velocity (EV) measured at weaning was used to determine steer temperament. Endocrine parameters were measured for 6 h before and 6 h after the VP administration to quantify the stress response to both the handling associated with the experimental procedures and pharmacological challenge. Elevated concentrations of cortisol in excitable steers during the pre-challenge period reflected an increased initial adrenal reactivity to interactions with humans. Subsequent acclimation to the experimental surroundings yielded greater baseline cortisol concentrations in the cattle with an excitable temperament. Pituitary stimulation with VP resulted in a greater adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) output from the excitable compared to the calm animals. A separate experiment employed the same 12-h blood sampling protocol with a different pituitary secretagogue, corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), in order to evaluate pituitary-adrenal responsiveness in cattle with differing temperaments and genetic backgrounds. Measures of EV at weaning identified the calmest and most excitable steers from two separate calf crops; one Angus and the other Brahman. Within breed, adrenal medullary response to initial handling was influenced by temperament as concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine were higher in the excitable steers of both breedtypes. Additionally, concentrations of cortisol also differed by temperament in the Angus steers at this time point. An effect of temperament on pituitary responsiveness to exogenous CRH was observed in the Angus but not the Brahman steers. Unlike what was observed with the previously described VP challenge, the pituitary responsiveness to CRH was blunted in the excitable steers. The specific endophenotypes which have been identified or reinforced through these experiments suggest that there are aspects of HPA dysfunction associated with bovine temperament.

Physiological traits that are biologically associated with feed efficiency may be useful indicator traits residual feed intake (RFI). The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between RFI, temperament, serum hormones and serum metabolites in growing heifers. A 4 yr study (n = 114-119 heifers/yr) was conducted with Brangus heifers (Initial BW = 271 ± 26 kg) that were weaned for 25.5 ± 8.6 d prior to high roughage diet adaptation (ME = 2.0 Mcal/kg DM). Individual dry matter intakes (DMI) were measured using Calan gate feeders and BW measured at 7-d intervals during the 70-d studies. RFI was calculated as the residual from the linear regression of DMI on mid-test BW0.75 and average daily gain (ADG). Temperament scores and exit velocity (EV) were taken at 0-d. Temperament index (TI) was calculated as the average of EV and chute score. On 0-d, blood samples were collected and assayed for partial blood counts (WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, HB), metabolites (total protein, TP; glucose; creatinine; blood urea nitrogen, BUN; β-hydroxybutyrate, BHB) and hormones (cortisol; insulin-like growth hormone I, IGF-I). Across all heifers, RFI was positively correlated with DMI (0.70) and feed:gain (0.59). Heifers with low RFI (< 0.5 SD from mean RFI 0.00 ± 0.71 kg/d) consumed 16 percent less DMI and had 16 percent lower feed:gain than heifers with high RFI (> 0.50 SD from mean RFI). RFI was weakly correlated (P < 0.05) with WBC (0.15), HB (-0.11), total protein (-0.10), BUN (0.10), creatinine (-0.11) and BHB (0.13). Hemoglobin and BHB were weakly correlated with all feed efficiency traits except feed conversion ratio (FCR). No phenotypic correlation was found between cortisol and IGF-I with RFI. Temperament was not correlated with RFI. Cortisol, creatinine and glucose were moderately correlated with all temperament traits. Low TI heifers (calm) had significantly higher Final BW, ADG and DMI than high TI heifers. Calm animals had significantly lower cortisol, HB, creatinine and glucose and higher BHB. These results suggest that the temperament and serum metabolites evaluated in this study have limited utility as indicator traits for RFI in growing heifers.

There is a growing body of research on interventions to decrease infant distress during painful procedures, and distraction is a particularly practical option. However, the effectiveness data for distraction for infant pain relief are mixed. Inconsistencies in response to distraction might be explained by unique characteristics of the infant patient. Some researchers argue that temperament is the best predictor of differences observed between individuals and also the most sensitive to novel environmental factors such as exposure to pain. This study examined whether infants’ temperament is predictive of response to immunization injection pain and whether temperament moderates the relation between a distraction intervention and infant distress. Data for this study came from two prior studies of healthy infants receiving immunizations (Cohen, 2002; Cohen et al., 2006). Participants included 252 healthy infants and toddlers who ranged from 1 to 22 months of age. Infants were randomly assigned to “typical care” condition or “distraction” condition. The period of time before, during, and after the injection was videotaped and observational coding was used to assess infant distress. Prior to the immunization, parents completed six pre-injection visual analogue scales about their child’s temperament. An oblique rotation factor analysis was conducted with the temperament data and provided two temperament factors that map onto the ‘easy/difficult’ and ‘time-to-warm-up’ dimensions documented in the literature; these two factors were used for analyses. After controlling for site and gender, regression analyses revealed that neither easy/difficult temperament (p = .098, b = .109) nor time-to-warm-up temperament (p = .572, b = -.037) was predictive of distress. There was a significant treatment condition and time-to-warm-up temperament interaction, b = .0011, SE = .0005, p = .0254, such that distraction decreased distress in infants that were slower to warm up, or warmed up neither slowly nor quickly. No other significant distraction x temperament interactions were found. Temperament was not found to impact infant distress during immunizations in this study but results speaking to whether temperament serves as a moderator of the relation between distraction and distress were mixed. Results suggest that temperament is a factor that warrants closer attention when examining how infants respond to interventions around pain.

Correlations between cattle disposition and meat quality were expected to be found, as well as differences in meat quality traits among contemporary groups, sires, and families nested within sires. Temperament effects on meat quality were evaluated in Nellore × Angus F2 cross cattle (n = 238) over a 3-yr period, with harvests twice a year. Five aspects of temperament -- aggressiveness, nervousness, flightiness, gregariousness, and overall temperament -- were evaluated at weaning and yearling ages, as well as an overall temperament score at slaughter. USDA quality grade, fat thickness, adjusted fat thickness, hot carcass weight, USDA yield grade, and chemical fat were correlated negatively (P < 0.05) with weaning temperament scores, aggressiveness, nervousness, flightiness, gregariousness, and overall temperament. No significant correlation was found between Warner-Bratzler shear and weaning temperament traits. USDA quality grade and live weight were correlated negatively (P < 0.05) with yearling temperament scores, nervousness, flightiness, gregariousness, overall temperament score as well as the temperament score observed at slaughter. Fat thickness and adjusted fat thickness also were correlated negatively (P < 0.05) with yearling gregariousness, yearling overall, and slaughter overall temperament. Yearling gregariousness was correlated positively (P < 0.05) with Warner-Bratzler shear from both ES and NON carcasses. Least squares mean differences were evaluated among contemporary groups, sires, and families nested within sires for overall temperament traits and meat quality traits. Contemporary group differences found were thought to be explained by environmental factors, as seen in contemporary group 5, which had the smallest ribeye possibly caused by the shortest feeding period. Steers sired by 297J had the lowest (calmest) temperament scores, most 12th rib fat, highest numerical yield grade, and the heaviest weights. Sire 437J had steers with the highest (wildest) temperament scores, the least fat and lowest numerical yield grade. This population was designed to identify QTL for economically important traits and appears to be useful for this purpose because of the differences found both between and within families.

The studies described herein were designed to determine the influence of temperament on stress hormones and the immune system in response to various stressors. These stressors included transportation, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge, and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) challenge. In the first transportation study, bulls (8 Calm, 8 Intermediate, and 8 Temperamental) were loaded into a trailer and transported for 9 hr. Rectal temperature (monitored via indwelling recorders) increased within 0.5 hr of transportation, with greater peak rectal temperature in Temperamental than Calm bulls. Pre- and post-transport concentrations of cortisol and epinephrine were not affected by transportation, but were greater in Temperamental than Calm bulls. A second transportation study utilized 2 automatic sampling devices to allow the recording of rectal temperature and collection of blood samples, respectively. Rectal temperature was not affected by transportation or temperament in response to 4-hr of transport. Average heart rate oscillated between 60 and 130 bpm in Temperamental bulls, but remained around 100 bpm in Calm bulls. Transportation did not affect concentrations of epinephrine, although concentrations were greater in Temperamental bulls than Calm bulls. Cortisol concentrations increased in Calm bulls but not in Temperamental bulls in response to transportation. Additionally, there were limited effects of transportation on peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation, IgM production, and cytokine gene expression. Specifically, proliferation tended to be greater post-transport. Expression of the glucocorticoid receptor was, and the expression of toll-like receptor 4 tended to be, reduced post-transport, as analyzed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. In a study utilizing a LPS challenge, basal stress hormone concentrations during the pre-challenge period were greater in Temperamental bulls than Calm bulls. However, in response to the LPS challenge, only the epinephrine response was influenced by temperament. Additionally, Temperamental bulls exhibited a smaller increase in rectal temperature and sickness behavior than Calm bulls. In the last study, change in gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to acute increases in cortisol was assessed. Plasma cortisol and gene expression of cytokines and the glucocorticoid receptor tended to increase in response to placement of jugular cannula. Additionally, administration of ACTH significantly increased plasma concentrations of cortisol and the gene expression of some cytokines (interleukin-4 and interleukin-10). This suggests that acute increases in cortisol may have positive effects on immune function in Brahman calves. Through an increased understanding of the interaction between the stress response and animal temperament, as well as how stress hormones and temperament influence immune function, animal management practices can be modified to reduce negative impacts on growth and productivity.

The main purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between age, temperament, emotional regulation, creative drama and preschoolers¡¦ creativity. The participants included 116 preschool children sampling from kindergartens in Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Hsinchu City. The employed instruments were The Childhood Temperament Inventory, The Checklist of Creative Drama Instruction, The Checklist of Emotional Regulation Strategy, and The Test of Creativity. The data were collected via observation, interviews, and questionnaires; and the applied analysis methods were Descriptives, One-way Multivariate Analysis of Variance, One-way Univariate Analysis of Variance, Canonical Correlation, and Discriminant Analysis. The main findings in this study were as follows¡G 1.While significant gender differences on temperament were found, no significant differences were found on the preschoolers¡¦ performances in emotional regulation and creativity. 2.The children in the big class outperformed those in the middle class on creativity. 3.Temperament had significant differences on the preschools¡¦ creativity; more specifically, those with positive temperament outperformed those with negative temperament on the overall creativity performance, and the temperament of ¡§persistence¡¨ had the highest correlation with the preschoolers¡¦ performances on ¡§novelty¡¨ and ¡§usefulness¡¨. 4.Emotional regulation had positive influences on the preschools¡¦ creativity; more specifically, the ¡§social strategy¡¨ of emotional regulation had the highest correlation with the preschoolers¡¦ performances on ¡§novelty¡¨ and ¡§usefulness¡¨. . 5.Creativity drama instruction had significant differences on the preschools¡¦ creativity performance as well as on ¡§novelty¡¨ and ¡§usefulness¡¨. 6.Age, temperament, emotional regulation, and creative drama could jointly predict the preschools¡¦ ability group of creativity. Finally, the researcher proposed some suggestions for educational instruction and future studies.