Consequences of Not Planning Ahead: Reduced Proactive Control Moderates Longitudinal Relations Between Behavioral...

Area of Science:

• Developmental psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Behavioral inhibition (BI) in early childhood is a known risk factor for developing anxiety disorders.
• Not all children with BI develop anxiety, suggesting moderating factors are at play.
• Cognitive control strategies vary among individuals, potentially influencing this risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether proactive or reactive cognitive control strategies moderate the link between early behavioral inhibition (BI) and later anxiety symptoms.
• To identify specific cognitive control styles associated with increased anxiety risk in children with BI.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study tracking BI (2-3 years) and anxiety symptoms (13 years).
• Assessed cognitive control strategy at 13 years using the AX-Continuous Performance Task.
• Examined the moderating role of control strategy on the BI-anxiety relationship.

Main Results:

• Toddler BI predicted a greater tendency towards reactive cognitive control in adolescence.
• Cognitive control strategy moderated the BI-anxiety link: high BI plus reactive control predicted more anxiety.
• Reactive control, not BI alone, was associated with heightened anxiety in this context.

Conclusions:

• This study identifies reactive cognitive control as a specific risk factor for anxiety in children with BI.
• The findings highlight that the *type* of cognitive control, not just its presence, influences anxiety development.
• Interventions targeting a reduction in reactive control and enhancement of proactive control may mitigate anxiety risk.