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A total of 189 infants (93 girls, 96 boys) were investigated longitudinally at ages 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24 months to examine the effects of soothing techniques (i.e., distracting infants by presenting novel objects) and rough-and-tumble play on the early development of temperament, particularly the emergence of Effortful Control. We used questionnaires to examine the frequency of use of soothing techniques and rough-and-tumble play. The Infant Behavior Questionnaire Revised (IBQ-R) and the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ) were used to assess temperament. A strong relationship was found between parental ratings of their infant's Orienting/Regulation and later Effortful Control. Caregivers' use of distracting as a soothing technique during infancy was associated with higher Negative Affect in toddlers at 24 months. More surgent infants were involved in more rough-and-tumble play, with rough-and-tumble play frequencies positively correlated with surgency scores at 24 months.

The present article describes the development of a Japanese version of the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ). The influence of social desirability on the Japanese ECBQ was investigated using a cross-sectional sample ( N = 318). The effects of gender and developmental changes in temperament were investigated in a longitudinal sample ( N = 191). A three-factor structure was found in the instrument, the three factors being Surgency/Extraversion, Negative Affectivity, and Effortful Control. These factors were the same as those found in the original ECBQ. Social desirability showed less influence on the Japanese ECBQ, indicating the instrument was free from culture-based construct bias. This longitudinal study highlighted that Japanese toddlers have quieter, more withdrawn, and more passive temperaments, a finding that supports that of previous research comparing temperament-scale means between Japanese and U.S. children.