Table 1 Definition of subscales: Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ)
From: Early temperament as a predictor of language skills at 40 months
Factor/Subscales | Definition |
|---|---|
Negative affectivity | |
Discomfort | Amount of negative affect related to sensory qualities of stimulation. |
Fear | Negative affect related to anticipated pain, distress, sudden events and/or potentially threatening situations. |
Frustration | Negative affect related to interruption of ongoing tasks or goal blocking. |
Motor activation | Repetitive small-motor movements; fidgeting. |
Perceptual sensitivity | Detection of slight, low-intensity stimuli from the external environment. |
Sadness | Tearfulness or lowered mood related to suffering, disappointment, or loss. |
Shyness | Slow or inhibited approach and/or discomfort in social situations involving novelty or uncertainty. |
Soothability | Rate of recovery from peak distress, excitement, or general arousal. |
Effortful control | |
Attentional focusing | Sustained duration of orienting on an object of attention; resisting distraction. |
Attentional shifting | The ability to transfer attentional focus from one activity/task to another. |
Cuddliness | Child’s expression of enjoyment in and molding of the body to being held by a caregiver. |
Inhibitory control | The capacity to stop, moderate, or refrain from a behavior under instruction. |
Low-intensity pleasure | Pleasure or enjoyment related to situations involving low intensity, rate, complexity, novelty, and incongruity. |
Surgency/extraversion | |
Activity level | Level (rate and intensity) of gross motor activation, including rate and extent of locomotion. |
High-intensity pleasure | Pleasure or enjoyment related to situations involving high intensity, rate, complexity, novelty, and incongruity. |
Impulsivity | Speed of response initiation. |
Positive anticipation | Excitement about expected pleasurable activities. |
Sociability | Seeking and taking pleasure in interactions with others. |