Reactivity and regulation: the impact of Mary Rothbart on the study of temperament

Abstract

Through her theoretical and empirical work, Mary Rothbart has had a profound impact on the scientific understanding of infant and child temperament. This special issue honors her contributions through the presentations of original, contemporary studies relevant to three primary themes in Rothbart's conceptual approach: the expansive scope and empirically‐derived structure of temperament, the importance of considering developmental change, and the interplay of reactive and regulatory processes. In addition to summarizing these themes, this introductory article acknowledges the ways Mary has spurred progress in the field through methodological advances, institutional service, and pedagogy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The epidemiology of observed temperament: Factor structure and demographic group differences

“…Due to the ease of administration and scoring, large-scale studies have typically relied exclusively on parent report questionnaires to measure temperament (Henrichs et al, 2009; Kaplan et al, 2014; Sanson, Prior, Garino, Oberklaid, & Sewell, 1987; Wessman et al, 2012). Studies involving parent reported inventories of temperament have provided empirical support for sub-dividing the construct of temperament into two broad domains—reactivity and regulation (Putnam & Stifter, 2008). Whereas reactivity has been defined as “the speed, strength, and valence [positive or negative] of an individual’s characteristic response to stimulation”, regulation has been defined as “behaviors the individual uses to control their behavioral and emotional reactions to sources of both positive and negative stimulation” (Henderson & Wachs, 2007; p. 400).…”

Cross‐cultural temperamental differences in infants, children, and adults in the United States of America and Finland

“…Rothbart’s approach to temperament is inclusive of a wider variety of influences than those of other temperament theorists, who focus primarily on behavioral tendencies, as opposed to including neural and physiological factors as well. Her integrated approach also allows for a more dynamic concept of temperament, with models that capture early‐appearing traits, but allow enough flexibility to recognize developmental change over time (Putnam & Stifter, 2008). This conceptualization, as articulated by Rothbart and Derryberry (1981), provided the basis for a battery of tests to measure temperament across all ages, including those employed in the current investigation.…”

Resilience, strengths, and regulatory capacities: Hidden resources in developmental disorders of infant mental health

“…The model of infants' fundamental adaptive response system matches well with Rothbart and Bates's (2006) concepts and extensive research on children's temperament (Putnam & Stifter, 2008). In Rothbart and Bates's view, temperament may be traced back to constitutional variability in infants in two major components of behavioral responsivity: reactivity and self-regulation.…”