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Prevalence and Characteristics of Social Withdrawal Tendency Among 3-24 Months in China: A Pilot Study

Fengjuan Zhou1,2, Peiyuan Huang1,2, Xueling Wei1,2

  • 1Division of Birth Cohort Study, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

Frontiers in Psychiatry
|July 5, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Social withdrawal tendency affects 16.7% of young Chinese children, correlating with poorer social-emotional development. This preliminary study used the Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB) to assess withdrawal in infants and toddlers.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Social Behavior Studies

Background:

  • Sustained withdrawal behavior presents a significant obstacle to optimal child development.
  • Early identification and understanding of social withdrawal are crucial for intervention.
  • The Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB) is a tool for assessing infant distress and withdrawal.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To preliminarily evaluate the prevalence of social withdrawal tendency in young Chinese children (3-24 months).
  • To describe the characteristics of socially withdrawn children using the ADBB.
  • To explore the association between social withdrawal and developmental outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional analysis of 114 children aged 3-24 months was conducted.
  • The Chinese version of the Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB) was used to assess social withdrawal (score ≥ 5).
  • Standardized questionnaires including ASQ-3, ASQ:SE, and Infant Temperamental Questionnaire were administered; statistical tests identified group differences.

Main Results:

  • Approximately 16.7% of the children exhibited social withdrawal.
  • Socially withdrawn children were older, predominantly male (68.4%), and showed significantly higher rates of social-emotional developmental delay (63.2%) compared to non-withdrawn peers.
  • Poorer social-emotional development was observed in withdrawn children across all age groups (3-24 months).

Conclusions:

  • The prevalence of social withdrawal tendency in young Chinese children, as measured by the ADBB, is comparable to European populations.
  • Children identified with social withdrawal demonstrate a tendency towards poorer social-emotional development.
  • Further large-scale research is recommended to validate the ADBB in this population and confirm findings.

Keywords:
anxietyinfantscalesocial withdrawaltemperament

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