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Targeting risk factors for inhibited preschool children: An anxiety prevention program

Frances L Doyle1, Helen F Dodd2, Talia M Morris3

  • 1Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia; Western Sydney University, The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Penrith, NSW, Australia.

Behaviour Research and Therapy
|October 22, 2021
PubMed

Insights

This study found that an anxiety prevention program did not significantly reduce anxiety in behaviorally inhibited preschoolers compared to a control group. Anxiety decreased in all children, regardless of intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Behaviorally inhibited temperament in early childhood is linked to an increased risk of anxiety disorders.
  • Preschool-aged children exhibiting high levels of behavioral inhibition are a target population for anxiety prevention efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of a targeted anxiety prevention program for behaviorally inhibited preschoolers.
  • To determine if the intervention could reduce the risk of developing anxiety disorders in this vulnerable group.

Main Methods:

  • 86 preschool children (41-57 months) with high behavioral inhibition and their mothers were recruited.
  • Participants were randomly assigned to a nine-session intervention group or a waitlist control group.
  • The intervention involved both mothers and children.

Main Results:

  • The intervention group showed a reduction in clinician-rated anxiety disorders and mother-reported anxiety symptoms from baseline.
  • However, this reduction was not statistically different compared to the changes observed in the waitlist control group.
  • Anxiety symptoms decreased in all children, irrespective of their group assignment.

Conclusions:

  • The anxiety prevention program did not demonstrate a significant advantage over a waitlist control in reducing anxiety in behaviorally inhibited preschoolers.
  • The study highlights a general decrease in anxiety across all participants, suggesting other factors may be at play.
  • Findings have implications for refining anxiety prevention strategies and future research in early childhood mental health.
Abstract

Keywords:
AnxietyBehavioural inhibitionCognitive behavioural therapyInterventionPreschoolPrevention

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