Ane Nærde

Temperament in Adults-Reliability, Stability, and Factor Structure of the EAS Temperament Survey

We assessed the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Emotionality, Activity, and Sociability (EAS) Temperament Survey (Buss & Plomin, 1984) for adults using a longitudinal sample of adult women. The stability estimates of the EAS instrument were assessed over a period of 3 years. The results indicated an acceptable fit for the basic theoretical EAS model, implying that the scale is functioning satisfactory. However, the results also suggest that the measure could be improved. Across time, latent stability factors explained within-scale covariances. Both latent stability factors and time-specific factors accounted for cross-sectional covariances between subscales. Additional research is warranted to guide the further development of the EAS model.

Normative development of physical aggression from 8 to 26 months.

This study investigated the normative use and developmental course of physical aggression (PA), defined as use of physical force such as hitting, biting, and kicking, from 8 to 26 months and predictors thereof. We used data from the Behavior Outlook Norwegian Developmental Study, comprising 1,159 children (559 girls and 600 boys). Both mothers and fathers reported frequently about their childs use of PA in personal and telephone interviews. Mean number of reports per child was 7.16 (SD 1.70), with 90% having at least 6 reports. We employed Rasch scaling to construct a single linear PA measure and multilevel growth curve modeling to address the research questions. The results confirm that the development of PA is nonlinear, with a peak in frequency at about 20-22 months, which is followed by a decline toward 26 months. There is both within- and between-child variance in the development of PA. Higher levels of PA were predicted by the presence of a same-age sibling, maternal and paternal mental distress, and difficult child temperament (high activity level and distress due to limitations), whereas the main effect of gender was only trend-significant. Growth of PA across this developmental period was predicted by the presence of a same-age sibling and high activity level. The results both support and transcend previous research within this field.

Age of Entry Into Early Childhood Education and Care as a Predictor of Aggression Faint and Fading Associations for Young Norwegian Children

Socioemotional risks associated with nonparental care have been debated for decades, and research findings continue to be mixed. Yet few studies have been able to test the causal hypothesis that earlier, more extensive, and longer durations of nonmaternal care lead to more problems. To examine the consequences of age of entry into nonparental care for childhood aggression, we used prospective longitudinal data from Norway, where month of birth partly determines age of entry into Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centers. In this sample of 939 children followed from ages 6 months through 4 years, ECEC teachers reported the children’s aggression when they were 2, 3, and 4 years old. We found some evidence that age of entry into ECEC predicted aggression at age 2, albeit modestly and not robustly. Between the ages of 2 and 4 years, the effect of age of entry on aggression faded to negligible levels. The implications for psychological science and policy are discussed.

Measuring Effortful Control Using the Children's Behavior Questionnaire–Very Short Form: Modeling Matters

abstract Effortful control (EC) is an important concept in the research on self-regulation in children. We tested 2 alternative factor models of EC as measured by the Childrens Behavior Questionnaire–Very Short Form (CBQ–VSF; Putnam & Rothbart, 2006) in a large sample of preschoolers (N = 1,007): 1 lower order and 1 hierarchical second-order structure. Additionally, convergent and predictive validity of EC as measured by the CBQ–VSF were investigated. The results supported a hierarchical model. Moderate convergent validity of the second-order latent EC factor was found in that it correlated with compliance and observed EC tasks. Both CBQ–VSF EC measures were also negatively correlated with child physical aggression. The results have implications for the measurement, modeling, and interpretation of EC applying the CBQ.

Time in Early Childhood Education and Care and language competence in Norwegian four-year-old girls and boys

There is considerable evidence that high-quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is associated with childrens language competence. Yet, studies in contexts of universal access to quality-regulated ECEC are rarer, exacerbating concerns over selection bias endemic to non-experimental work on the topic. Extending the cumulative knowledge on this topic, we tested a dose-response hypothesis, examining associations between time spent in ECEC during the childs first four years, and language competences in four-year-old girls and boys, in a context with universal access to quality regulated center care. A sample (N = 1157) from a Norwegian longitudinal study was utilized with propensity weights accounting for selection. Following this adjustment, there was a tendency for a dose-response relation between years that children attended ECEC and their language competence at four years, but only for boys. Implications of ECEC in the contemporary context of gender differences in achievement and life chances are discussed.

Correction to: Measuring Effortful Control Using the Children's Behavior Questionnaire–Very Short Form: Modeling Matters

Correction to: Measuring Effortful Control Using the Childrens Behavior Questionnaire–Very Short Form: Modeling Matters Agathe Backer-Grøndahl, Ane Nærde, Pål Ulleberg & Harald Janson To cite this article: Agathe Backer-Grøndahl, Ane Nærde, Pål Ulleberg & Harald Janson (2016) Correction to: Measuring Effortful Control Using the Childrens Behavior Questionnaire–Very Short Form: Modeling Matters, Journal of Personality Assessment, 98:6, 663-663, DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2016.1202715 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2016.1202715