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Temperamental Characteristics of Withdrawn Behavior Problems in Children

David H Rubin1, Eileen T Crehan2, Robert R Althoff2

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. david.rubin@mgh.harvard.edu.

Child Psychiatry and Human Development
|July 27, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Children with withdrawn/depressed behavior (WD) often exhibit high harm avoidance and low reward dependence temperaments. This study identifies a temperamental profile linked to childhood WD, crucial for understanding developmental psychopathology.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Withdrawn/depressed behavior (WD) is linked to significant developmental psychopathology outcomes, including depression and suicide.
  • Understanding the temperamental underpinnings of WD is critical for early identification and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the temperamental characteristics associated with concurrent withdrawn/depressed behavior (WD) in children.
  • To identify a specific temperamental profile predictive of childhood WD.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 397 children in a family study, employing the Junior Temperament and Characteristic Inventory (JTCI) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).
  • Applied linear mixed models to analyze the relationship between WD and JTCI temperament dimensions, controlling for covariates.

Main Results:

  • High harm avoidance and low reward dependence were significant predictors of childhood withdrawn behavior.
  • These findings remained significant after controlling for item overlap and co-occurring aggression and attention problems.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first characterization of a temperamental profile associated with withdrawn/depressed behavior in children and adolescents.
  • The identified temperamental profile (high harm avoidance, low reward dependence) offers valuable insights for developmental psychopathology research.

Keywords:
Child Behavior ChecklistJunior Temperament and Character InventoryTemperamentWithdrawn behavior

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