Mapping temperament and personality in middle and late childhood: Combined structures and network patterns

Abstract

Research into behavioral individuality among youth has traditionally approached temperament and personality as distinct constructs, with limited attention to their empirical convergence. This study examines the combined structure of temperament and personality traits and their associations with internalizing and externalizing behaviors in middle (4–7 years) and late childhood (8–15 years). Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA), we analyzed parents’ ratings of 1065 children on temperament (Buss & Plomin; Rothbart) and personality (Five-Factor Model). Across both age groups and analytical methods, five to six core dimensions consistently emerged: Negative Emotionality, Disagreeableness, Imaginative Conscientiousness, Sensitivity, and Activity and Shyness. Notably, Activity and Shyness were distinct in middle childhood but converged into a single Active Sociability dimension in late childhood, reflecting developmental restructuring. Internalizing behaviors were most strongly and consistently predicted by higher scores of Negative Emotionality and higher scores of Shyness/lower scores of Active Sociability. Externalizing behaviors were primarily associated with higher scores of Disagreeableness and Negative Emotionality, and lower scores of Imaginative Conscientiousness. These findings highlight both the continuity and age-related reorganization in the structure of temperament and personality, supporting their conceptual overlap and relevance for understanding behavioral adjustment across childhood.