Mother-, Father-, and Examiner-Reported Temperament Across the First Year of Life

Abstract

The Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale (BNAS) was administered to 19 newborns, and their fathers completed the Broussard Neonatal Perception Inventory (NPI‐I); at 1 year of age, the infants' fathers and mothers completed the Perception of Baby Temperament (PBT) scale. The 19 infants were first born, full‐term, and the result of normal, vaginal deliveries. Relationships were found between examiner‐reported temperament (BNAS) and both father‐ and mother‐reported temperament at 1 year (PBT). Fathers were sensitive to the physical dimension of temperament and mothers were sensitive to the adaptive dimension. Three father‐reported newborn behaviors (NPI‐I) were related to father‐reported temperament at 1 year (PBT). Little relationship between father‐ and mother‐reported temperament (PBT) was found when infants were 1 year of age. Findings can be used to plan future research on newborn behavior, parental characteristics, and parental perceptions of 1‐year‐olds' temperaments.