Longitudinal investigation of the role of temperament and stressful life events in childhood anxiety

Broeren, S., Newall, C., Dodd, H. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1446-5338 and Hudson, J. L. (2014) Longitudinal investigation of the role of temperament and stressful life events in childhood anxiety. Development and Psychopathology, 26 (2). pp. 437-449. ISSN 1469-2198 doi: 10.1017/S0954579413000989

Abstract/Summary

The current study investigated the longitudinal relationships between BI, life events, and anxiety in a sample of 102 behaviourally inhibited (BI) and 100 uninhibited (BUI) children aged 3 to 4 years. Children’s parents completed questionnaires on BI, stressful life events, and anxiety symptoms, and were administered a diagnostic interview three times in a 5-year period. In line with our hypotheses, negative life events, and negative behaviour- dependent life events (i.e. life events that are related to the children’s own behaviours) in particular, and the impact of negative life events, were predictive of increases in subsequent anxiety symptoms, the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder, and increased number of anxiety diagnoses over the five year follow-up period. Experiencing more positive, behaviour-independent life events decreased the risk of being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Furthermore, differences were found in life events between BI and BUI children. That is, BI children experienced fewer positive and specifically positive behaviour-dependent life events, and the impact of these positive life events was also lower in BI children than in BUI children. However, BI did not interact with life events in the prediction of anxiety problems as hypothesized. Therefore, this study seems to indicate that BI and life events act as additive risk factors in the development of anxiety problems.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/33951
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Department of Psychology Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Psychopathology and Affective Neuroscience Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Anxiety and Depression in Young People (AnDY)
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Publisher Statement	This is the author’s copy of the manuscript. The paper has been accepted for publication and will appear in a revised form, subsequent to editorial input by Cambridge University Press in Development and Psychopathology, published by Cambridge University Press. Copyright Cambridge University Press. http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=DPP
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