title: Attention biases to threat link behavioral inhibition to social withdrawal over time in very young children.
abstract: Behaviorally inhibited children display a temperamental profile characterized by social withdrawal and anxious behaviors. Previous research, focused largely on adolescents, suggests that attention biases to threat may sustain high levels of behavioral inhibition (BI) over time, helping link early temperament to social outcomes. However, no prior studies examine the association between attention bias and BI before adolescence. The current study examined the interrelations among BI, attention biases to threat, and social withdrawal already manifest in early childhood. Children (N=187, 83 Male, M (age)=61.96 months) were characterized for BI in toddlerhood (24 & 36 months). At 5 years, they completed an attention bias task and concurrent social withdrawal was measured. As expected, BI in toddlerhood predicted high levels of social withdrawal in early childhood. However, this relation was moderated by attention bias. The BI-withdrawal association was only evident for children who displayed an attention bias toward threat. The data provide further support for models associating attention with socioemotional development and the later emergence of clinical anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA. kperezed@gmu.edu
authors.forename: Koraly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pérez-Edgar
authors.forename: Bethany C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Reeb-Sutherland
authors.forename: Jennifer Martin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: Lauren K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Degnan
authors.forename: Amie A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hane
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Pine
authors.forename: Nathan A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology*; D013694:Temperament