The development of Australian normative data for infant temperament.

Utilizing the revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire previously validated for use with Australian populations, a cohort of 2443 infants aged 4-8 months was studied. This sample was recruited in such a manner as to be representative of all infants of this age group in the State of Victoria. Temperament values obtained differed significantly from American norms on four of the nine temperament dimensions, providing further evidence for the importance of using culturally appropriate norms. There were associations between temperament and problem behaviours and some parent characteristics. The normative values for temperament presented are recommended for use in Australian settings.