Temperament is arguably one of the most important childhood traits about
which educators should be thoroughly versed. Childhood temperament is linked with,
among other outcomes, three that are essential to school success: behavioral responses,
academic performance, and social interaction. It also plays a compelling role in longterm
mental health. This chapter describes the range of temperamental manifestations
and offers suggestions for promoting temperamental factors to support resilience rather
than foster risk.
Keywords: Activity, Adaptability, Behavioral inhibition, Distractibility,
Externalizing behavior, Goodness-of-fit, Internalizing behavior, Reactivity,
Regulation.
