A1 Journal article (refereed)
Adolescents’ and mothers’ temperament types and their roles in early adolescents’ socioemotional functioning (2018)

Hirvonen, R., Väänänen, J., Aunola, K., Ahonen, T., & Kiuru, N. (2018). Adolescents’ and mothers’ temperament types and their roles in early adolescents’ socioemotional functioning. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 42(5), 453-463. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025417729223

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Hirvonen, Riikka; Väänänen, Johanna; Aunola, Kaisa; Ahonen, Timo; Kiuru, Noona

Journal or series: International Journal of Behavioral Development

ISSN: 0165-0254

eISSN: 1464-0651

Publication year: 2018

Volume: 42

Issue number: 5

Pages range: 453-463

Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd.

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025417729223

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/59312

Abstract

The present study examined adolescents’ and mothers’ temperament types and their roles in the socioemotional functioning of early adolescents. A total of 869 sixth-grade students and 668 mothers participated in the study. The students rated their temperament and socioemotional functioning and the mothers rated their own temperament. Latent profile analyses identified four temperament types among the adolescents (resilient, reserved, average, and mixed) and three types among the mothers (resilient, average, and mixed). The results showed that the adolescents with resilient or reserved temperaments reported significantly fewer conduct problems and emotional symptoms, less hyperactivity, and higher prosociality than adolescents with a mixed temperament type. The most adaptive adolescent–mother temperament matches were between a resilient or reserved adolescent and a resilient or average mother; these adolescents reported the highest levels of socioemotional functioning. Mothers with mixed or average temperaments were related to fewer conduct problems and emotional symptoms and less hyperactivity among adolescents with a mixed temperament, while mothers with a resilient temperament type were beneficial for prosocial behavior among adolescents with a mixed temperament. These findings increase understanding of the role of temperament and the interplay between adolescents’ and mothers’ temperaments in the development of early adolescents’ socioemotional adjustment.

Keywords: young people; parents; parent-child relationship; emotions; temperament; socio-emotional skills

Free keywords: early adolescence; emotion regulation; externalizing problems; goodness-of-fit; relationship with parents

Contributing organizations

Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2018

JUFO rating: 2