Temperament stability over successive ages in the first 2 years of life was evaluated for 109
full-term and 81 preterm infants who were assessed at 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. At each
age, the infant was engaged in a series of age-appropriate vignettes in the laboratory, using
a structured sequence of activities. Ratings were made of emotional tone, attentiveness,
activity, and orientation to staff. Correlations indicated that, for full-term infants, there was
significant stability across ages (6 to 9 months, 9 to 12 months, 12 to 18 months, and 18 to …