Inhibited and uninhibited children: Challenges in school settings

Three approaches to the study of children's reactions to the unfamiliar are reviewed with an emphasis on how the approaches differ in terms of measurement and interpretation of individual differences. Studies are reviewed which have particular relevance for the understanding of the role of temperament in predicting children's academic, social, and personal adaptation. Overall, it appears that differences in children's reactions to the unfamiliar may be more directly related to social and emotional adjustment than to academic adjustment per se. However, it is hypothesized that differences in children's reactions to the unfamiliar may indirectly influence adjustment in school through their influences on social and emotional adjustment. Suggestions are made for school psychologists and educators regarding approaches for assessment and modifications to the classroom environment to meet the needs of temperamentally diverse students.