Interview with Dr. Sean C. McDevitt

Dr. McDevitt is the publisher of the B-DI web site and the Editorial Consultant to this newsletter. He is a noted temperament researcher and is the author of several temperament scales and of four books on child temperament. He has extensive clinical experience working with children with a vast array of behavioural and emotional disorders in hospitals, community settings and in his private practice in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is also the parent of two boys.

Dr. McDevitt, I have heard from many parents who state that even the smallest attempts to communicate with their high maintenance child backfire. The parents state that they are doing their best to sound open and accepting but that even this seems to trigger irritation and reactivity in their children? Do you hear similar reports?

Temperamentally difficult people drive down a much narrower road than the easy flexible people in the world. Sometimes even small obstacles can cause the high maintenance child to 'run off the road.'

What is the role of temperament in communication?

Communication is one of the most basic processes in human relationships and temperament can affect it as much as it affects other patterns of behaviour. Shy children may have difficulty stating their needs; intense children may overstate everything! Persistent and nonadaptable kids may make communication difficult for the other person. There are myriad influences.

Researchers have noted a correlation between communication problems, such as language delays and disorders, and difficult behaviour. Is there also a link with difficult temperament?

Certainly, certain types of communication, such as requests for changing activities, doing chores and altering conduct are less likely to go well with the high maintenance child. Delays and disorders may serve to amplify or increase the problematic nature of these communications.

Do you find that the presence of cognitive problems such as a non-verbal learning disability plays an important role in communication?

I notice that children with non-verbal learning disability are less likely to inhibit their behavior or thought processes and go directly to action. This can create lots of problems. Ed. Note: See also the article below on non-learning verbal disability.

What do you suggest that parents do to improve communication with their high maintenance child?

The key is learning to communicate clearly and calmly and to provide reasonable choices to the high maintenance child with consistent follow through. This is a tall order and requires lots of practice and patience.

What can parents do to educate other people in their lives (teachers, doctors, relatives) about the observable strained communication between themselves and their children?

Certainly disclosure to trusted adults in the child's life makes things easier for parents. We need all of the allies we can get! This may reduce the pressure on the parent who feels responsible for the high maintenance child's challenging disposition and behavior. In certain instances parents may not wish to disclose and this makes it harder for both parent and child.