Validation of an Ethiopian Version of the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery

Abstract

Temperament is a well-researched construct that is often of interest when attempting to account for individual differences in data. Several models explaining temperament exist and studies of temperament that focus on early infancy in particular, like the current study aimed to do, remain of high interest because they are able to capture temperamental behaviors before the environment is able to play a large role in the developmental process. While temperament has found its way into an abundance of research, the assessment of temperament, particularly cross-culturally, seems to lack consistency and reliability. Continued cross-cultural study is yet very relevant due to the increasing amount of literature suggesting the developmental importance of the construct. The purpose of the present study was thus to provide evidence of the validity of an Ethiopian version of an infant temperament assessment using the Laboratory Assessment Battery (Lab-TAB), as well as validity for a shortened version of this cross-cultural measure. This was done by examining the psychometric properties of the instrument with a sample of 6-month Ethiopian infants. Results from the present study do suggest continued use of Lab-TAB with an Ethiopian population as well as support for the shortened version of this measure. As the first study to assess the use of Lab-TAB in cross-cultural research and with the developmental importance of temperament, this work makes a large contribution to the cross-cultural temperament literature available.