ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to examine psychopathological correlates of behavioral inhibition in young offspring of parents with panic disorder and/or major depression. METHOD: Behavioral inhibition, determined by using standard laboratory observations, was assessed in four groups of children (age 2-6 years): 129 children of parents with both panic disorder and major depression, 22 children of parents with panic disorder alone, 49 children of parents with major depression alone, and 84 comparison children of parents with neither panic disorder nor major depression. Psychopathology in children > or =5 years was compared between children with behavioral inhibition (N=64) and without (N=152). RESULTS: Social anxiety disorder (social phobia or avoidant disorder) was significantly more likely to be found in the children with behavioral inhibition (17%) than in those without (5%). Noninhibited children were significantly more likely than inhibited children to have disruptive behavior disorders (20% versus 6%, respectively) and had higher scores on the attention problems scale of the Child Behavior Checklist (mean=52.1 versus 50.8). CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to the growing literature suggesting an association between behavioral inhibition and social anxiety disorder and an inverse relationship between inhibition and disruptive behavior disorders.
Subject(s)
Anxiety Disorders/classification , Child of Impaired Parents , Depressive Disorder/epidemiology , Phobic Disorders/epidemiology , Temperament/classification , Adult , Anxiety Disorders/epidemiology , Child , Child Behavior/classification , Child Behavior/psychology , Child, Preschool , Comorbidity , Conduct Disorder/diagnosis , Conduct Disorder/epidemiology , Conduct Disorder/psychology , Depressive Disorder/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Female , Humans , Inhibition, Psychological , Male , Panic Disorder/diagnosis , Panic Disorder/epidemiology , Panic Disorder/psychology , Parents/psychology , Personality Assessment , Phobic Disorders/diagnosis , Phobic Disorders/psychologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This paper will explore how a new research tool, the MacArthur Story Stem Battery (MSSB), enables investigations into the interior life of children, its potential usefulness in evaluating effectiveness of interventions geared to prevent dysfunctional parenting, and how the method has been adapted for use with low income African American children in the Memphis New Mothers Study. METHOD: A literature review provides justification for assessing children's representations of their parenting experience to evaluate the effectiveness of an early intervention program. Case examples are used to illustrate children's representations of themes in narrative responses that are indicative of behavioral regulation and dysregulation and specific adaptations for use with African American children. RESULTS: Case examples support the method's application. CONCLUSIONS: The story stem technique can play an important role in evaluating children's emotion regulation, social skills, and early experience in the family.
