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Can Mothers Predict Childhood Behavioural Inhibition in Early Infancy?
Author(s) -
Marysko Melanie,
Finke Patricia,
Wiebel Angelika,
Resch Franz,
Moehler Eva
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
child and adolescent mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.912
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1475-3588
pISSN - 1475-357X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-3588.2009.00539.x
Subject(s) - toddler , distress , novelty , anxiety , shyness , temperament , early childhood , psychology , clinical psychology , medicine , developmental psychology , psychiatry , personality , social psychology
Background: Focusing on early identification of developmental risk factors, this study examined the question whether maternal report of child behaviour during early infancy is related to a laboratory measure of behavioural inhibition at 14 months of age. Method: A sample of 101 mother‐infant pairs was recruited from local obstetric units. The Infant Behaviour Questionnaire (IBQ) was presented at 4 months postnatal age. Child behavioural inhibition was assessed at 14 months in a laboratory procedure. Results: Infant distress to novelty as measured by the IBQ at 4 months postnatal age was found to be associated with toddler’s fear score/behavioural inhibition at 14 months ( p = .003). Distress‐to‐limitations subscore, smile/laughter subscore, activity subscore, and soothability subscore of the IBQ showed no correlation with behavioural inhibition. Conclusions: Behavioural inhibition, as a potential risk factor for childhood shyness and anxiety, can be predicted by maternal judgment of infant distress to novelty at age 4 months. The Infant Behaviour Questionnaire therefore might be used to identify infants presumably at risk for childhood anxiety disorders.