ABSTRACT
The term temperament describes the 'how' of behaviour, rather than the 'what', or the 'why'. The concept of temperament suggests qualities that endure over time. Temperamental differences affect the child's environment, or at least how the child responds to the environment, and how others respond to the child or adolescent. The temperamentally easy child is more likely to elicit positive parenting, and the temperamentally difficult child is more likely to elicit negative reactions. Parents of a child with a difficult temperament may be enormously helped by professional recognition of this as a constitutional problem. Some parents will benefit from referral to a parenting or child behaviour management group, not only because of the refinement and reinforcement of their parenting skills, but also because of the support from other group members. However, referral for assessment may be indicated if there is a suspicion of organic reasons why one child is more difficult than the others in a family.
