Abstract
Behaviorally inhibited children display a temperamental profile characterized by social withdrawal and anxious behaviors.
Previous research, focused largely on adolescents, suggests that attention biases to threat may sustain high levels of behavioral
inhibition (BI) over time, helping link early temperament to social outcomes. However, no prior studies examine the association
between attention bias and BI before adolescence. The current study examined the interrelations among BI, attention biases
to threat, and social withdrawal already manifest in early childhood. Children (N = 187, 83 Male, M
age
= 61.96 months) were characterized for BI in toddlerhood (24 & 36 months). At 5 years, they completed an attention bias task
and concurrent social withdrawal was measured. As expected, BI in toddlerhood predicted high levels of social withdrawal in
early childhood. However, this relation was moderated by attention bias. The BI-withdrawal association was only evident for
children who displayed an attention bias toward threat. The data provide further support for models associating attention
with socioemotional development and the later emergence of clinical anxiety.
Previous research, focused largely on adolescents, suggests that attention biases to threat may sustain high levels of behavioral
inhibition (BI) over time, helping link early temperament to social outcomes. However, no prior studies examine the association
between attention bias and BI before adolescence. The current study examined the interrelations among BI, attention biases
to threat, and social withdrawal already manifest in early childhood. Children (N = 187, 83 Male, M
age
= 61.96 months) were characterized for BI in toddlerhood (24 & 36 months). At 5 years, they completed an attention bias task
and concurrent social withdrawal was measured. As expected, BI in toddlerhood predicted high levels of social withdrawal in
early childhood. However, this relation was moderated by attention bias. The BI-withdrawal association was only evident for
children who displayed an attention bias toward threat. The data provide further support for models associating attention
with socioemotional development and the later emergence of clinical anxiety.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-011-9495-5
- Authors
- Koraly Pérez-Edgar, Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
- Bethany C. Reeb-Sutherland, Department of Human Development, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Jennifer Martin McDermott, Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
- Lauren K. White, Department of Human Development, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Heather A. Henderson, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33124, USA
- Kathryn A. Degnan, Department of Human Development, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Amie A. Hane, Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA
- Daniel S. Pine, Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20895, USA
- Nathan A. Fox, Department of Human Development, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627