Recommended Resources

 

Information related to temperament has grown over the past decade, but good resources can still be hard to find. Below is a list of my favorite reads dealing with temperament, introversion, parenting, education, and some of the difficulties parents face

General Information on Temperament and Introversion

Here are a few of my favorite titles related to temperament. Each one brings its own unique spin on the topic:

1. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain (Crown, 2012)—A thoughtful and comprehensive analysis of the biological and cultural background of introversion and what can be done to help introverts find their voice.

2. The Introvert Advantage: How To Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Olsen Laney (Publishing, 2002)—A good overview of the neuroscience behind temperament, as well as specific guidance for thriving as an introvert in today’s society.

3. The Introvert’s Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World by Sophia Dembling (Perigee, 2012)—A good look at introversion in a positive light, filled with strategies to enhance the power that comes with introversion.

General Parenting

There are very few parenting books related to temperament and introversion. Here are a few I have found helpful over the years. I have also included some related to giftedness, as gifted children often possess traits similar to introversion.

1. The Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child: Helping Your Child Thrive in an Extroverted World by Marti Olsen Laney (Workman, 2005)—Using the concepts in her book, The Introvert Advantage, Laney tailors the conversation for parents.

2. A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children by James T. Webb, Janet L. Gore, Edward R. Amend, and Arlene R. DeVries (Great Potential Press, 2007)—A comprehensive parenting book that covers the characteristics of giftedness, emotional intensity, and good parenting techniques.

3. Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive by Daniel Siegel and Mary Hartzell (Putnam, 2003)—A great resource for understanding the connection between self-awareness, self-actualization, and parenting.

4. Nurture by Nature: Understand Your Child’s Personality Type—and Become a Better Parent by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger (Little, Brown, 1997)—A look at the need to understand the psychological aspects of temperament as a foundation for effective parenting.

Working With Intense Behaviors

In the early days of identifying introversion, much emphasis was placed on the emotional intensity and high reactivity that can accompany introverted children. I’ve included a few titles relating to emotional intensity to help when dealing with particularly intense behaviors.

1. Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope With Explosive Feelings by Christine Fonseca (Prufrock Press, 2010)—I wrote this book to address the nature of emotional intensity and giftedness. The book is filled with practical strategies to assist parents and educators.

2. 101 Success Secrets for Gifted Kids by Christine Fonseca (Prufrock Press, 2011)—I wrote this book specifically for gifted children ages 8–12 to give them the tools needed to learn to manage the intensity of their emotions related to their giftedness.

3. Living With Intensity edited by Susan Daniels and Michael M. Piechowski (Great Potential Press, 2009)—This book provides an excellent basis in Dabrowski’s theories for those wishing for more information in this area.

4. Smart Teens’ Guide to Living With Intensity: How to Get More Out of Life and Learning by Lisa Rivero (Great Potential Press, 2010)—This is a nice book for teens with additional strategies for living an intense life.

Anxiety/Depression

As mentioned in the book, when introversion is unbalanced, it can result in problems with depression and anxiety. Many of the techniques I’ve presented to help introverted children thrive involve the management of anxiety responses. Some additional resources when dealing with these types of difficulties include the following:

1. Anxiety-Free Kids: An Interactive Guide for Parents and Children by Bonnie Zucker (Prufrock Press, 2008)—This is a terrific guide for children and parents dealing with anxiety.

2. The Anxiety Cure for Kids: A Guide for Parents by Elizabeth DuPont Spencer, Robert L. DuPont, and Carolyn M. DuPont (Wiley, 2003)—A great resource for parents dealing with significantly anxious children. Although the book is geared toward those children diagnosed with anxiety disorders, the strategies will work with less severe cases, or cases involving gifted children as opposed to children diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

3. What To Do When Good Isn’t Good Enough: The Real Deal on Perfectionism: A Guide for Kids by Thomas S. Greenspon (Free Spirit, 2007)—A good resource for younger children, providing lots of practical strategies.

Bullying

Bullying is difficult enough for any child to live with. But when the child in question is introverted, dealing with a bully can be particularly problematic. Here is a list of books related to bullying that I have found particularly helpful:

1. The Bully, The Bullied, and The Bystander: From Preschool to High School—How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence by Barbara Coloroso (Harper, 2009)—An outstanding explanation of the bullying triangle, with practical strategies to end the cycle of violence.

2. Girl Wars: 12 Strategies That Will End Female Bullying by Cheryl Dellasega and Charisse Nixon (Fireside, 2003)—An excellent resource for relational aggression and other forms of female bullying.

Education

As discussed throughout the book, introverts learn differently from extroverts. They require different types of structures and approaches. Below is a list of resources that address meeting the unique needs of diverse classrooms, including those with a variety of temperaments.

1. “Introversion: A Misunderstood ‘Individual Difference’ Among Students” by Arnold Henjum (Education, 1982, Vol. 103)

2. “How Introverts Versus Extroverts Approach Small-Group Argumentative Discussions” by Michael Nussbaum (The Elementary School Journal, 2002, Vol. 102)

3. Handbook of Positive Behavior Support edited by Wayne Sailor, Glen Dunlap, George Sugai, & Rob Horner (Springer, 2010)—An excellent reference book for all aspects of developing Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports.

4. Responding to Problem Behaviors in Schools: The Behavior Education Program (2nd ed.) by Deanne A. Crone, Leanne S. Hawken, & Robert H. Horner (Guilford Press, 2010)—Another outside resource for educators looking to build strong positive supports to problem behaviors in schools.

Miscellaneous Resources

Here are some final resources to cover a variety of topics that may arise in a child’s life:

1. Calming the Family Storm: Anger Management for Moms, Dads, and All The Kids by Gary D. McKay and Steven A. Maybell (Impact Publishers, 2004)—An excellent book full of practical strategies for anger management for all members of the household.

2. Staying Connected to Your Teenager: How to Keep Them Talking to You and How to Hear What They’re Really Saying by Michael Riera (Da Capo Press, 2003)—A great book to help parents stay connected to the ever-changing world of their teens. Particularly good when your child is reluctant to talk related to her introversion.

3. 7 Things Your Teenager Won’t Tell You: And How To Talk About Them Anyway by Jennifer Marshall Lippincott and Robin M. Deutsch (Ballantine, 2005)—A book full of the “hard things” and how to talk to your kids about them.