Temperament and Separation Anxiety

Page 6

It makes sense on an evolutionary level for children to experience separation anxiety. Crying, whining and whimpering when a parent is not close by can cause the parent to not stray from the young child, ensuring that their basic survival needs are met.  

While separation anxiety is a normal part of childhood development as we have previously discussed, some children experience it earlier, longer, or at random intervals. This is often due to the child’s temperament. Temperament can be described as the way a person approaches and reacts to the world around them. All children are born with a unique temperament that is rooted in their biology. Children with a difficult temperament or children whose temperament is very different from their parents’ may experience attachment issues (Carey & McDevitt, 1995).

There are three distinct temperament types ranging from slow to warm or cautious, easy or flexible, and active or feisty.  ​

A slow to warm child may experience separation anxiety for a longer period of time. A child with this temperament type may be the most challenging to ease during separation anxiety as they tend to be less receptive to change and new surroundings even after repeated exposure.

​The easy or flexible child may show signs of separation anxiety for a short period of time and rarely show them again except in times of extreme stress or uncertainty. 

An active or feisty child may show signs of separation anxiety as part of normal development but may either have prolonged and extreme symptoms or incredibly mild and intermittent symptoms. ​

​Temperament can have an impact on separation anxiety but is not the only factor that influences it.

Optional Resources for Further Study

• Infant/Toddler Temperament Tool by Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
• Birth Order and Temperament by Ingela Ratledge
• Tips on Temperament by  ZERO TO THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families
• Temperament Types by About Kids Health Canada

Course Navigation Menu

1. Course Agenda
2. What is Separation Anxiety?
3. Development
4. A Familiar Face
5. Familiar Caregiver (1/4) 

6. Temperament and Separation Anxiety
7. Attachment  (2/4)
8. Separation Anxiety Disorder
9. How to Ease Separation Anxiety
10. Managing Separation Anxiety

11. Helping Children (3/4)
12. End of Course Quiz (4/4)
13. Course Evaluation Form
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