Stable early maternal report of behavioral inhibition predicts lifetime social anxiety disorder in adolescence.
OBJECTIVE
Behavioral inhibition (BI), a temperamental style identifiable in early childhood, is considered a risk factor for the development of anxiety disorders, particularly social anxiety disorder (SAD). However, few studies examining this question have evaluated the stability of BI across multiple developmental time points and followed participants into adolescence-the developmental period during which risk for SAD onset is at its peak. The current study used a prospective longitudinal design to determine whether stable early BI predicted the presence of psychiatric disorders and continuous levels of social anxiety in adolescents. It was hypothesized that stable BI would predict the presence of adolescent psychiatric diagnoses, specifically SAD.


METHODS
Participants included 126 adolescents aged 14 to 16 years who were first recruited at 4 months of age from hospital birth records. Temperament was measured at multiple time points between the ages of 14 months and 7 years. In adolescence, diagnostic interviews were conducted with parents and adolescents, and continuous measures of adolescent- and parent-reported social anxiety were collected.


RESULTS
Stable maternal-reported early BI was associated with 3.79 times increased odds of a lifetime SAD diagnosis, but not other diagnoses, during adolescence (95% confidence interval 1.18-12.12). Stable maternal-reported early BI also predicted independent adolescent and parent ratings of ongoing social anxiety symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggesting that stable maternal-reported early BI predicts lifetime SAD have important implications for the early identification and prevention of SAD.
Chronis-Tuscano
Andrea
A
Drs. Chronis-Tuscano, Degnan, Raggi, and Fox and Ms. Diaz are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pine is with the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Perez-Edgar is with George Mason University; and Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami. Electronic address: achronis@psyc.umd.edu.
Degnan
Kathryn Amey
KA
Drs. Chronis-Tuscano, Degnan, Raggi, and Fox and Ms. Diaz are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pine is with the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Perez-Edgar is with George Mason University; and Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami.
Pine
Daniel S
DS
Drs. Chronis-Tuscano, Degnan, Raggi, and Fox and Ms. Diaz are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pine is with the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Perez-Edgar is with George Mason University; and Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami.
Perez-Edgar
Koraly
K
Drs. Chronis-Tuscano, Degnan, Raggi, and Fox and Ms. Diaz are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pine is with the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Perez-Edgar is with George Mason University; and Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami.
Henderson
Heather A
HA
Drs. Chronis-Tuscano, Degnan, Raggi, and Fox and Ms. Diaz are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pine is with the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Perez-Edgar is with George Mason University; and Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami.
Diaz
Yamalis
Y
Drs. Chronis-Tuscano, Degnan, Raggi, and Fox and Ms. Diaz are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pine is with the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Perez-Edgar is with George Mason University; and Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami.
Raggi
Veronica L
VL
Drs. Chronis-Tuscano, Degnan, Raggi, and Fox and Ms. Diaz are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pine is with the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Perez-Edgar is with George Mason University; and Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami.
Fox
Nathan A
NA
Drs. Chronis-Tuscano, Degnan, Raggi, and Fox and Ms. Diaz are with the University of Maryland; Dr. Pine is with the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Perez-Edgar is with George Mason University; and Dr. Henderson is with the University of Miami.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013694:Temperament