Your psychologist is correct that the original 'difficult child' characteristics developed by researchers Drs. Stella Chess and Alexander Thomas included only five traits: negative mood, high intensity, irregularity, high withdrawal and poor adaptability. However, research and clinical experience have found other NORMAL traits to challenge parents, too. Research has also shown them to be function as risk factors in specific environments.

As a result, the term 'temperament risk factors' (TRF) is now replacing the concept of 'the difficult child'. I asked Dr. Sean McDevitt, one of the developers of the concept of TRF, if a child can have all nine of Dr. Turecki's 'difficult traits' and still be normal or if Dr. Turecki's list is 'overinclusive'. This is what he told me: "A child can have all nine difficult traits and still be quite normal. The key is the interaction between these traits and the environment. When there is constant conflict present, it may create a behavioral or emotional problem later on (possibly a severe one) but the temperament itself is still normal. If the interaction remains positive, no conflicts will arise and no disorder will be created. As a practical matter, difficult children tend to require a lot of 'maintenance' so it usually isn't easy to cope with a really difficult child. After all, that's why we need newsletters about this!"

I hope this helps.

Best wishes and thanks for writing,

Kate