Mood quality and intensity in nursery school children as predictors of behavior disorder.

Ratings of mood quality and intensity of response, as temperamental attributes of preschool children, were derived from interviews with nursery school children and from direct observations. Findings based on these two attributes signaled emotional distress and identified those children who required referral for clinical disorders within the subsequent five-year period. This study suggests that negative mood and high intensity ratings may be effective indicators of children at risk.