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The relation between infant freezing and the development of internalizing symptoms in adolescence: A prospective longitudinal study
Author(s) -
Niermann Hannah C. M.,
Tyborowska Anna,
Cillessen Antonius H. N.,
Donkelaar Marjolein M.,
Lammertink Femke,
Gunnar Megan R.,
Franke Barbara,
Figner Bernd,
Roelofs Karin
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
developmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.801
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1467-7687
pISSN - 1363-755X
DOI - 10.1111/desc.12763
Subject(s) - psychology , psychopathology , developmental psychology , freezing behavior , longitudinal study , coping (psychology) , young adult , vulnerability (computing) , early childhood , clinical psychology , anxiety , psychiatry , medicine , computer security , fear conditioning , pathology , computer science
Abstract Given the long‐lasting detrimental effects of internalizing symptoms, there is great need for detecting early risk markers. One promising marker is freezing behavior. Whereas initial freezing reactions are essential for coping with threat, prolonged freezing has been associated with internalizing psychopathology. However, it remains unknown whether early life alterations in freezing reactions predict changes in internalizing symptoms during adolescent development. In a longitudinal study ( N = 116), we tested prospectively whether observed freezing in infancy predicted the development of internalizing symptoms from childhood through late adolescence (until age 17). Both longer and absent infant freezing behavior during a standard challenge (robot‐confrontation task) were associated with internalizing symptoms in adolescence. Specifically, absent infant freezing predicted a relative increase in internalizing symptoms consistently across development from relatively low symptom levels in childhood to relatively high levels in late adolescence. Longer infant freezing also predicted a relative increase in internalizing symptoms, but only up until early adolescence. This latter effect was moderated by peer stress and was followed by a later decrease in internalizing symptoms. The findings suggest that early deviations in defensive freezing responses signal risk for internalizing symptoms and may constitute important markers in future stress vulnerability and resilience studies.