Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Behavioural Inhibition and the Prevention of Internalising Distress in Early Childhood

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Behavioral Inhibition

  • 1207 Accesses

Abstract

An inhibited temperamental style has been identified as one of the core risks for the later development of anxiety and related disorders. Several additional risks are believed to interact with child inhibition, including parent emotionality, parental rearing style, and poor social skills. These factors lend themselves to modification, opening the door to prevention of emotional disorders. To date there has been surprisingly little focus on the prevention of emotional disorder through identification of early child inhibition. The current chapter briefly summarises the current literature. It then moves on to consider several relevant issues including the best target for intervention, the most relevant population, and novel intervention strategies. Finally, the chapter describes some attempts to apply prevention at a population level and discusses barriers and future directions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anticich, S. A., Barrett, P. M., Silverman, W., Lacherez, P., & Gillies, R. (2013). The prevention of childhood anxiety and promotion of resilience among preschool-aged children: A universal school based trial. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 6(2), 93–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Axford, N., Lehtonen, M., Kaoukji, D., Tobin, K., & Berry, V. (2012). Engaging parents in parenting programs: Lessons from research and practice. Children and Youth Services Review, 34, 2061–2071.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bayer, J. K., Beatson, R., Bretherton, L., Hiscock, H., Wake, M., Gilbertson, T., … Rapee, R. M. (2018). Translational delivery of Cool Little Kids to prevent child internalising problems: Randomised controlled trial. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 52, 181. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867417726582

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bayer, J. K., Hiscock, H., Scalzo, K., Mathers, M., McDonald, M., Morris, A., … Wake, M. (2009). Systematic review of preventive interventions for children’s mental health: What would work in Australian contexts? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 43(8), 695–710.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bayer, J. K., Rapee, R. M., Hiscock, H., Ukoumunne, O. C., Mihalopoulos, C., Clifford, S., & Wake, M. (2011). The Cool Little Kids randomised controlled trial: Population-level early prevention for anxiety disorders. BMC Public Health, 11, 11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bayer, J. K., Ukoumunne, O. C., Lucas, N., Wake, M., Scalzo, K., & Nicholson, J. M. (2011). Risk factors for childhood mental health symptoms: National longitudinal study of Australian children. Pediatrics, 128, e865–e879.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beatson, R. M., Bayer, J. K., Perry, A., Mathers, M., Hiscock, H., Wake, M., … Rapee, R. M. (2014). Community screening for preschool child inhibition to offer the ‘Cool Little Kids’ anxiety prevention programme. Infant and Child Development, 23(6), 650–661.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright-Hatton, S., McNally, D., Field, A. P., Rust, S., Laskey, B., Dixon, C., … Woodham, A. (2011). A new parenting-based group intervention for young anxious children: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 50(3), 242–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chronis-Tuscano, A., Rubin, K. H., O'Brien, K. A., Coplan, R. J., Thomas, S. R., Dougherty, L. R., … Wimsatt, M. (2015). Preliminary evaluation of a multimodal early intervention program for behaviorally inhibited preschoolers. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 83(3), 534–540.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clauss, J. A., & Blackford, J. U. (2012). Behavioral inhibition and risk for developing social anxiety disorder: A meta-analytic study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(10), 1066–1075.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coplan, R. J., Prakash, K., O’Neill, K., & Armer, M. (2004). Do you “want” to play? Distinguishing between conflicted shyness and social disinterest in early childhood. Developmental Psychology, 40(2), 244–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coplan, R. J., Schneider, B. H., Matheson, A., & Graham, A. (2010). ‘Play skills’ for shy children: Development of a social skills facilitated play early intervention program for extremely inhibited preschoolers. Infant and Child Development, 19(3), 223–237.

    Google Scholar 

  • Degnan, K. A., Almas, A. N., & Fox, N. A. (2010). Temperament and the environment in the etiology of childhood anxiety. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 51(4), 497–517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, S. L., Rapee, R. M., & Kennedy, S. (2010). Prediction of anxiety symptoms in preschool-aged children: Examination of maternal and paternal perspectives. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 51(3), 313–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gazelle, H., & Ladd, G. W. (2003). Anxious solitude and peer exclusion: A diathesis-stress model of internalizing trajectories in childhood. Child Development, 74(1), 257–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gazelle, H., & Shell, M. D. (2017). Behavioral profiles of anxious solitary children: Predicting peer relations trajectories from third to fifth grade. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 63(2), 237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giesen, F., Searle, A., & Sawyer, M. (2007). Identifying and implementing prevention programmes for childhood mental health problems. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 43, 785–789.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graeff-Martins, A. S., Flament, M. F., Fayyad, J., Tyano, S., Jensen, P., & Rohde, L. A. (2008). Diffusion of efficacious interventions for children and adolescents with mental health problems. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49, 335–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heckman, J. (2000). Invest in the very young. Chicago, IL: Ounce of Prevention Fund and the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy Analysis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirshfeld-Becker, D. R., Masek, B., Henin, A., Blakely, L. R., Pollock-Wurman, R. A., McQuade, J., … Biederman, J. (2010). Cognitive behavioral therapy for 4- to 7-year-old children with anxiety disorders: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(4), 498–510.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarosz, E., & Bayer, J. K. (2017). Service evaluation of the Cool Little Kids parenting program delivered in the community. Advances in Mental Health, 1. https://doi.org/10.1080/18387357.2017.1418630

  • Jitlina, K., Shumka, E., Miller, L. D., & Rapee, R. M. (2015). Disseminating evidence-based anxiety prevention strategies into the schools: Capitalizing on existing clinical anxiety treatment programs. Paper presented at the 49th ABCT Convention, Chicago, November 12–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kagan, J., Reznick, J. S., Clarke, C., Snidman, N., & Garcia-Coll, C. (1984). Behavioral inhibition to the unfamiliar. Child Development, 55, 2212–2225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kagan, J., Reznick, J. S., & Snidman, N. (1988). Biological bases of childhood shyness. Science, 240, 167–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kagan, J., Snidman, N., Arcus, D., & Reznick, J. S. (1994). Galen’s prophecy: Temperament in human nature. New York, NY: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, S. J., Rapee, R. M., & Edwards, S. L. (2009). A selective intervention program for inhibited preschool-aged children of parents with an anxiety disorder: Effects on current anxiety disorders and temperament. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(6), 602–609.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, M. (2000). Childhood and adolescent shyness in long-term perspective. In W. R. Crozier (Ed.), Shyness: Development, consolidation and change (pp. 65–87). London, England: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaFreniere, P. J., & Capuano, F. (1997). Preventive intervention as a means of clarifying direction of effects in socialization: Anxious-withdrawn preschoolers case. Development and Psychopathology, 9, 551–564.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lau, E. X., Rapee, R. M., & Coplan, R. J. (2017). Combining child social skills training with a parent early intervention program for inhibited preschool children. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 51, 32–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, D., Johnson, S., Hafekost, J., Boterhoven De Haan, K., Sawyer, M. G., Ainley, J., & Zubrick, S. (2015). The mental health of children and adolescents. Report on the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Retrieved from Canberra, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y., Coplan, R. J., Wang, Y., Yin, J., Zhu, J., Gao, Z., & Li, L. (2016). Preliminary evaluation of a social skills training and facilitated play early intervention programme for extremely shy young children in china (Vol. 25, p. 565). Infant and Child Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Linetzky, M., Pergamin-Hight, L., Pine, D. S., & Bar-Haim, Y. (2015). Quantitative evaluation of the clinical efficacy of attention bias modification treatment for anxiety disorders. Depression and Anxiety, 32(6), 383–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luke, F., Chan, C. C., Au, A., & Lai, S. M. K. (2017). Adaptive parenting for alleviating young children’s shyness: A randomized controlled trial of an early intervention program. Infant and Child Development, 26, e2030.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyneham, H. J., Hudson, J. L., & Rapee, R. M. (2014). Prevention of anxiety disorders. In T. Ehring & P. M. Emmelkamp (Eds.), International handbook of anxiety disorders (pp. 625–642). Chichester, England: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathers, C. D., & Loncar, D. (2006). Projections of global mortality and burden of disease from 2002 to 2030. PLoS Medicine, 3(11), e442. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0030442

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McLeod, B. D., Wood, J. J., & Weisz, J. R. (2007). Examining the association between parenting and childhood anxiety: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 27, 155–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merikangas, K. R., He, J.-P., Burstein, M., Swanson, S. A., Avenevoli, S., Cui, L., … Swendsen, J. (2010). Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in U.S. adolescents: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication-Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A). Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(10), 980–989.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mian, N. D. (2014). Little children with big worries: Addressing the needs of young, anxious children and the problem of parent engagement. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 17, 85–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Micco, J. A., Henin, A., Mick, E., Kim, S., Hopkins, C. A., Biederman, J., & Hirshfeld-Becker, D. R. (2009). Anxiety and depressive disorders in offspring at high risk for anxiety: A meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23(8), 1158–1164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mihalopoulos, C., Vos, T., Rapee, R. M., Pirkis, J., & Carter, R. (2015). The population cost-effectiveness of a parenting intervention designed to prevent anxiety disorders in children. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 56(9), 1026–1033.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, A. J., Rapee, R. M., & Bayer, J. K. (2016). Prevention and early intervention of anxiety problems in young children: A pilot evaluation of Cool Little Kids Online. Internet Interventions, 4, 105–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, A. J., Rapee, R. M., Salim, A., & Bayer, J. K. (2018). Predicting response to an internet-delivered parenting program for anxiety in early childhood. Behavior Therapy, 49, 237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, A. J., Rapee, R. M., Salim, A., Goharpey, N., Tamir, E., McLellan, L. F., & Bayer, J. K. (2017). Internet-delivered parenting program for early intervention of anxiety problems in young children: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 56, 417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mrazek, P. J., & Haggerty, R. J. (1994). In P. J. Mrazek & R. J. Haggerty (Eds.), Reducing risks for mental disorders. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nozadi, S. S., Troller-Renfree, S., White, L. K., Frenkel, T. I., Degnan, K. A., Bar-Haim, Y., … Fox, N. A. (2016). The moderating role of attention biases in understanding the link between behavioral inhibition and anxiety. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 7(3), 451–465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oh, E., Mathers, M., Hiscock, H., Wake, M., & Bayer, J. K. (2015). Professional help seeking for young children with mental health problems. Australian Journal of Psychology, 67, 187–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pedlow, R., Sanson, A., Prior, M., & Oberklaid, F. (1993). Stability of maternally reported temperament from infancy to 8 years. Developmental Psychology, 29(6), 998–1007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prior, M., Smart, D., Sanson, A., & Oberklaid, F. (2000). Does shy-inhibited temperament in childhood lead to anxiety problems in adolescence? Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 39(4), 461–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R. M. (1997). Potential role of childrearing practices in the development of anxiety and depression. Clinical Psychology Review, 17, 47–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R. M. (2002). The development and modification of temperamental risk for anxiety disorders: Prevention of a lifetime of anxiety? Biological Psychiatry, 52, 947–957.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R. M. (2013). The preventative effects of a brief, early intervention for preschool-aged children at risk for internalising: Follow-up into middle adolescence. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54(7), 780–788.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R. M., & Coplan, R. J. (2010). Conceptual relations between anxiety disorder and fearful temperament. In H. Gazelle & K. H. Rubin (Eds.), Social anxiety in childhood: Bridging developmental and clinical perspectives. New directions for child and adolescent development (Vol. 127, pp. 17–31). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R. M., Kennedy, S., Ingram, M., Edwards, S. L., & Sweeney, L. (2005). Prevention and early intervention of anxiety disorders in inhibited preschool children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73(3), 488–497.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R. M., Kennedy, S., Ingram, M., Edwards, S. L., & Sweeney, L. (2010). Altering the trajectory of anxiety in at-risk young children. American Journal of Psychiatry, 167, 1518–1525.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R. M., Lau, E. X., & Kennedy, S. J. (2010). The Cool Little Kids anxiety prevention program –s therapist manual. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R. M., Schniering, C. A., & Hudson, J. L. (2009). Anxiety disorders during childhood and adolescence: Origins and treatment. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 5, 311–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, K. H., Coplan, R. J., & Bowker, J. C. (2009). Social withdrawal in childhood. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 141–171. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163642

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, M. R., & Kirby, J. N. (2015). Surviving or thriving: Quality assurance mechanisms to promote innovation in the development of evidence-based parenting interventions. Prevention Science, 16, 421–431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schor, E. L., Abrams, M., & Shea, K. (2007). Medicaid: Health promotion and disease prevention for school readiness. Health Affairs, 26, 420–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wake, M., Sanson, A., Berthelsen, D., Hardy, P., Mission, S., Smith, K., Ungerer, J., & LSAC Research Consortium. (2008). How well are Australian infants and children aged 4 to 5 years doing? Findings from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children Wave 1 (Social Policy Research Paper No. 36). Canberra, Australia: Department of Families, Housing, Community services and Indigenous Affairs, Australian Government.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, L. K., McDermott, J. M., Degnan, K. A., Henderson, H. A., & Fox, N. A. (2011). Behavioral inhibition and anxiety: The moderating roles of inhibitory control and attention shifting. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 39(5), 735–747.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Ronald M. Rapee

  2. School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Jordana K. Bayer

Authors
  1. Ronald M. Rapee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jordana K. Bayer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ronald M. Rapee .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Koraly Pérez-Edgar

  2. Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Nathan A. Fox

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Rapee, R.M., Bayer, J.K. (2018). Behavioural Inhibition and the Prevention of Internalising Distress in Early Childhood. In: Pérez-Edgar, K., Fox, N. (eds) Behavioral Inhibition. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98077-5_15

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation