"Children's Behavioral Styles at Age 3 are.
Linked to Their Adult Personality Traits at Age 26-.
The purpose of Avshalom Caspi, HonaLee Harrington, Barry Milne, James W. Amell, Reremoana F. Theodore and Terrie E. Moffitt's study was to examine any possible correlations between behavioral qualities observed at age three and personality traits and functions at age twenty-six. The researchers were testing the hypothesis, "child is father of the man,"" by using empirical testing (Amell et. al. 2003: 495). The Study was organized using a longitudinal study of health and behavior of 1037 three year olds born in 1972-1973 in Dunedin, New Zealand. After the initial study at age three, the individuals were again studied at age twenty-six.
The Dunedin Study was completed using a multi-method analysis including: self-reports, informant reports, interviews, questionnaires and multiple physical examinations. At age three, the child was recorded and observed using 90 minute developmental testing sessions. Factor and cluster analysis was used to identify five reliable types of children: undercontrolled, inhibited, confident, reserved, and well-adjusted (Amell et. al. 2003: 498). .
At age twenty-six, 96% of the participants from age three were again examined. Self reports and informant reports were used incorporating the "best known contemporary trait models of personality, the Telleger and the Five Factor models of personality structure- (Amell et. al. 2003: 504). They endured an all day long health assessment "physical examination, personality assessment and dental examination. Upon completion of a multi-dimensional personality questionnaire, the researchers were able to identify for each person, "a profile of scores on ten distinct personality traits that define three superfactors of personality: negative emotionality, constraint (vs. disinhibition), and positive emotionality- (Amell et.
