Early attention and negative emotionality predict later cognitive and behavioural function

Negative emotionality and poor attention may combine or interact as risk factors in development. Negative emotionality is considered a challenge for self-regulation, whereas good attention is a potential means of self-regulation. In the current study, composites of 1- and 2-year maternal ratings of negative emotionality and global ratings of observed attentiveness were predictors for 3.5-year cognitive and behavioural outcome for 75 children. Results of variable-based regression analyses indicated that early negativity and attentiveness predicted IQ and scores on a hyperactivity index; only negativity predicted a global measure of behaviour problems. Results of person-based analyses for groups formed by median splits on negativity and attention suggested that the More Negative/ Less Attentive group had significantly poorer outcome than the other three groups combined (those with one or none of the two risk factors). Comparisons of mean differences also suggested a protective effect of greater attentiveness for more negative as opposed to less negative children for all outcomes. The results extend prior work in providing longitudinal data over the first 3 years and including both cognitive and behavioural outcomes. Negative emotionality and attention are basic behavioural dimensions in the study of individual differences. There is evidence that each has direct and indirect effects on later behaviours (e.g., see review by Rothbart & Bates, 1998). In addition, they may add together, combine synergistically, or interact such that one moderates the effects of the other (see