Temperament factors predict resilience in a non-clinical kindergarten population

Background: The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between resilience and temperament dimensions of emotionality, activity, sociability, and shyness in a sample of Hungarian kindergarten aged children (N=166). Since self-reported measures of resilience and temperament dimensions of emotionality, activity, sociability, and shyness does not exist in Hungarian language, we have developed parent-report questionnaires and assessed psychometric properties of these constructs. Methods: The 10-item Hungarian Resilience Scale: Parental Ratings (HRS-P-10) was created based on the Hungarian adult resilience scale of Járai et al (2015). The 20-item EAS Temperament Survey for Children: Parental Ratings (EAS-P-20) was translated from English (Buss & Plomin, 1984). 166 parents filled out the above two questionnaires about their kindergarten-aged children and provided basic demographic information. Results: Reliability analysis confirmed that both questionnaires show appropriate internal consistency. The single scale structure of resilience was confirmed by factor analysis, and this construct is significantly (p<0.01) correlated with all four EAS temperament dimensions: emotionality (r = – .29), activity (r = .35), sociability (r = .32) and shyness (r = – .44). Conclusions: Results confirm that the HRS-P-10 and the EAS-P-20 are adequate parental questionnaires to be used in non-clinical studies with kindergarten-aged children. Results extend findings related to the link between childhood temperament and resilience and underline the importance of a multi-level, system-based approach to resilience.