Children’s Behavior Questionnaire – Short Form

Children’s Behavior Questionnaire – Short Form
Rothbart‚ Ahadi‚ & Hershey‚ 1994; Rothbart‚ Ahadi‚ Hershey‚ & Fisher‚ 2001
(abbreviated Rothbart CBQ)
Parent Version
 
My child:
1. Seems to always be in a big hurry to get from one place to another
2. Likes going down high slides or other adventurous activities
3. Likes the sound of words‚ as in nursery rhymes
4. Gets so worked up before an exciting event that s/he has trouble sitting still
5. Seems to listen to even quiet sounds
6. Cries sadly when a favorite toy gets lost or broken
7. Rarely gets irritated when s/he makes a mistake
8. Calms down quickly following an exciting event
9. Seems to be at ease with almost any person
10. When s/he sees a toy s/he wants‚ gets very excited about getting it
11. Likes being sung to
12. Tends to run rather than walk from room to room
13. Has a hard time following instructions
14. Notices the smoothness or roughness of objects she touches
15. Enjoys taking warm baths
16. Has temper tantrums when she doesn’t get what s/he wants
17. ‘When s/he wants to do something‚ she talks about little else
18. Doesn’t care for rough and rowdy games
19. When practicing an activity‚ has a hard time keeping her/his mind on it
20. Tends to feel “down” at the end of an exciting day
21. If upset‚ cheers up quickly when s/he thinks about something else
22. Acts very friendly and outgoing with new children
23. Will move from one task to another without completing any of them
24. Usually doesn’t comment on changes in parents’ appearance
25. Moves about actively (runs‚ climbs‚ jumps) when playing in the house
26. Is afraid of loud noises
27. Has a hard time settling down after an exciting activity
28. Joins others quickly and comfortably‚ even when they are strangers
29. Does not like to take chances for the fun and excitement of it
30. Falls asleep within ten minutes of going to bed at night
31. Gets quite frustrated when prevented from doing something s/he wants to do
32. Seems to forget a bump or scrape after a couple of minutes
33. Becomes upset when loved relatives or friends are getting ready to leave following a visit
34. Is not afraid of the dark
35. Does not usually become tearful when tired
36. Comments when a parent has changed his/her appearance
37. Doesn’t care much for quiet games
38. Can wait before entering into new activities if s/he is asked to
39. Gets angry when s/he can’t find something s/he wants to play with
40. Her/his feelings are easily hurt by what parents say
41. Enjoys exciting and suspenseful TV shows
42. Is very frightened by nightmares
43. Has difficulty waiting in line for something
44. Enjoys sitting on parent’s lap
45. Becomes tearful when told to do something s/he does not want to do
46. Becomes very excited while planning for trips
47. Rarely cries for more than a couple of minutes at a time  
48. Prefers -quiet activities to active games
49. Notices when parents are wearing new clothing
50. Acts shy around new people
51. as trouble sitting still when s/he is told to (at movies‚ church‚ etc.)
52. Rarely cries when s/he hears a sad story
53. Rarely becomes upset when watching a sad event in a TV show
54. Is quickly aware of some new item in the living room
55. Becomes very excited before an outing (e.g. picnic‚ party)
56. Is comfortable asking other children to play
57. Enjoys looking at picture books
58. Enjoys meeting Santa Claus or other strangers in costumes
59. When drawing or coloring in a book‚ shows strong concentration
60. Plays games slowly and deliberately
61. Sometimes appears downcast for no reason
62. Likes to go high and fast when pushed on a swing
63. Becomes easily frustrated when tired
64. Talks easily to new people
65. Is very difficult to soothe when s/he has become upset
66. Is afraid of the dark
67. Enjoys riding a tricycle or bicycle fast and recklessly
68. Is usually pretty calm before leaving on an outing (e-g.‚ picnic‚ party)
69. Is good at following instructions
70. Is rarely frightened by “monsters” seen on TV or at movies
71. When building or putting something together‚ becomes very involved in what s/he is doing‚ and works for long periods
72. Does not seem to notice parents’ facial expressions
73. Isn’t interested in watching quiet TV shows such as “Mister Rogers”
74. Doesn’t enjoy being read to very much
75. Rarely becomes discouraged when s/he  has trouble making something work
76. Rarely protests when another child takes his/her toy away
77. When angry about something‚ s/he tends to stay upset for ten minutes or longer
78. Doesn’t usually react to different textures in food
79. Is not afraid of heights
80. Shows great excitement when opening a present
81. Can easily stop an activity when s/he is told “no.”
82. Enjoys activities such as being chased‚ spun around by the arms‚ etc.
83. Is easily distracted when listening to a story
84. Is full of energy‚ even in the evening
85. Changes from being upset to feeling much better within a few minutes
86. Easily gets irritated when s/he has trouble with some task (e.g.‚ building‚ drawing‚ dressing)
87. Enjoys exploring new places
88. Enjoys just being talked to
89. Gets angry when called in from play before s/he is ready to quit
90. Enjoys “snuggling up” next to a parent or baby-sitter
91. Is usually able to resist temptation when told s/he is not supposed to do something
92. Has a hard time going back to sleep after waking in the night
93. Has difficulty sitting still at dinner
94. Enjoys being in crowds of people
95. Likes to sit quietly and watch people do things
96. Doesn’t usually notice odors such as perfume‚ smoke‚ cooking‚ etc.
97. Gets mad when provoked by other children
98. Has a hard time concentrating on an activity when there are distracting noises
99. Notices even little specks of dirt on objects
a.    Is not very sensitive to people’s moods
b.    Rarely hits other children‚ even when angry
c.    Rarely asks for help in dressing
d.    Looks pleased when other people act happy
e.    Rarely yells at others even when s/he is upset
f.     Is sensitive to how others are feeling
g.    Sometimes blames other people when s/he has made a mistake
h.    Sometimes throws things when angry
i.      Doesn’t seem very upset when caught doing something wrong
j.     Rarely asks for help in finding clothes
k.    Feels good when good things happen to ch‎aracters on TV
l.      Seems to feel guilty when s/he has broken a rule
m. Seems to feel bad about doing something wrong even after being forgiven
n.    Asks for help when s/he is afraid
o.    Criticizes others when s/he is angry
p.    Asks other children to help her/him with projects
q.    Sometimes blames him/herself when something goes wrong
r.     Does not usually become distressed when other children are upset
s.    Confesses s/he has done something wrong before parent finds out
t.     Becomes very ashamed if s/he makes a mistake in public
u.    Rarely seeks help when s/he is ha‎ving trouble with something
v.    Doesn’t act very upset when s/he has done something wrong
w.   Usually tries to work out difficulties alone and rarely asks for help
x.    Sometimes starts fights with other children
y.    Sometimes asks for help in things she is able to do . (e.g.‚ cutting up food)
z.    Becomes upset when s/he thinks someone else has been hurt
aa.Takes toys away from other children
bb.Usually asks for help on difficult tasks
cc. Does not seem to be very upset when parents are in a bad mood
dd.Sometimes breaks things when upset
 
Activity Level‚ Anger/Frustration‚ Approach/Positive Anticipation‚ Attentional Control‚ Discomfort‚ Falling Reactivity/Soothability‚ Fear‚ High Intensity Pleasure‚ Impulsivity‚ Inhibitory Control‚ Low Inten ity Pleasure‚ Perceptual Sensitivity‚ Sadness‚ Smiling andLaughter‚ and Shyness.
 
 
 
 
1. extremely untrue of your child
2. quite untrue of your child
3. slightly untrue of your child
4. neither true nor false of your child
5. slightly true of your child
6. quite true of your child
7. extremely true of your child
NA (not applicable)
For questions regarding the CBQ‚ CBQ-SF‚ or CBQ-VSF‚ contact Samuel Putnam at [email protected]  (postal mail: Department of Psychology‚ Bowdoin College‚ 6900 College Station‚ Brunswick‚ ME 04011)
Please note that these questionnaires are to be used for research purposes only. If you are interested in acquiring current versions of these instruments‚ we request that you first complete our request form‚ providing us with a brief description of your plans for use of the measures. Following the completion of your research‚ we request that you contact us to inform us of the results of your project as they relate to the temperament scales. In this way‚ we hope to coordinate attempts at validation of the scales.

Rothbart‚ M. K.‚ Ahadi‚ S. A.‚ & Hershey‚ K. L. (1994). Temperament and social behavior in childhood. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly‚ 40‚ 21-39.

Rothbart‚ M. K.‚ Ahadi‚ S. A.‚ Hershey‚ K. L.‚ & Fisher‚ P. (2001). Investigations of temperament at 3-7 years: The Children’s Behavior Questionnaire. Child Development‚ 72‚ 1394-1408

Putnam‚ S. P.‚ & Rothbart‚ M. K. (2006). Development of Short and Very Short forms of the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire. Journal of Personality Assessment‚ 87 (1)‚ 103-113.

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