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

Frances L Doyle; Helen F Dodd; Talia M Morris; Rebecca S Lazarus; Yulisha Byrow; Jennifer L Hudson

doi:10.1016/j.brat.2021.103982

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

Behav Res Ther. 2021 Dec:147:103982. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2021.103982. Epub 2021 Oct 9.

Authors

Frances L Doyle¹, Helen F Dodd², Talia M Morris³, Rebecca S Lazarus⁴, Yulisha Byrow⁵, Jennifer L Hudson⁶

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia; Western Sydney University, The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Penrith, NSW, Australia.
² ChYMe, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, UK. Electronic address: h.dodd@exeter.ac.uk.
³ Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia.
⁴ Knox Grammar Preparatory School, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁵ Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia; School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia.
⁶ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales Randwick, NSW, Australia; Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: jennie.hudson@unsw.edu.au.

PMID: 34678709
DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2021.103982

Abstract

Objective: Children with a behaviorally inhibited temperament during early childhood have been shown to have an increased risk for developing anxiety disorders. This study evaluated the efficacy of an anxiety prevention program aimed at reducing the risk of anxiety in behaviorally inhibited preschool children.

Method: Participants were 86 children aged 41-57 months and their mothers. Children were selected if their mothers reported high levels of child behavioral inhibition on a screening measure. Participants were randomly allocated to a nine-session intervention or a waitlist control condition. Mothers and children both participated in the intervention.

Results: At follow-up, the intervention group had significantly fewer clinician-rated child anxiety disorders and fewer mother-reported child anxiety symptoms than at baseline but this change was not significantly different to the change seen in the waitlist control group.

Conclusions: On average, across the course of the study, anxiety decreased in all children irrespective of group. A number of potential reasons for this are discussed along with implications for research and clinical practice.

Keywords: Anxiety; Behavioural inhibition; Cognitive behavioural therapy; Intervention; Preschool; Prevention.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anxiety Disorders* / prevention & control
Anxiety* / prevention & control
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Mothers
Risk Factors
Temperament