Ethnic influences on “difficult” temperament and behavioural problems in infants

Abstract

This paper is a report on characteristics of infants born to immigrant parents who were part of a large-scale longitudinal study of temperament and development in Australian children. Infants of parents born in Greece, Middle Eastern Countries, North America and some countries of Asia were more likely to be rated as showing behaviours characteristic of a difficult temperament; to be rated by mothers and Infant Welfare Sisters as difficult, and to have a higher incidence of problems such as colic and excessive crying. Infants of parents from North Western Europe and India however did not show these difficulties. Several hypotheses to explain adverse ethnic influences on child temperament are offered.