Leiden University Student Repository

Strengers, J.G.C. (2022)

The effect of parental verbal information of threat/anxiety vs. safety on child avoidance behaviour towards strangers: The moderating role of child behavioural inhibition

Master thesis | Psychology (MSc)

Background: The development of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a complex aetiological pathway. Recent studies revealed that the verbal informational pathway influences children’s anxiety beliefs and behaviours towards novel animals. This study incorporated this to a social context by investigating the effect of parental verbal expression of threat/anxiety (versus safety) on the avoidance behaviour towards strangers in children. In addition, this study investigated if the temperamental construct behavioural inhibition (BI) moderated this effect. Methods: A community sample of 71 children aged between 9-to-14 participated with their primary caregiver by visiting the lab. Both parents had to fill in online questionnaires about their personal anxiety levels and child’s anxiety and temperamental levels. Whilst the child filled in questionnaires about their anxiety and temperamental levels. During the lab visit the caregiver provided verbal threat/anxiety (versus safety) information to...Show moreBackground: The development of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a complex aetiological pathway. Recent studies revealed that the verbal informational pathway influences children’s anxiety beliefs and behaviours towards novel animals. This study incorporated this to a social context by investigating the effect of parental verbal expression of threat/anxiety (versus safety) on the avoidance behaviour towards strangers in children. In addition, this study investigated if the temperamental construct behavioural inhibition (BI) moderated this effect. Methods: A community sample of 71 children aged between 9-to-14 participated with their primary caregiver by visiting the lab. Both parents had to fill in online questionnaires about their personal anxiety levels and child’s anxiety and temperamental levels. Whilst the child filled in questionnaires about their anxiety and temperamental levels. During the lab visit the caregiver provided verbal threat/anxiety (versus safety) information to their child about two strangers that would watch their child perform social tasks. The effect of this verbal manipulation was tested by observing the child’s avoidance behaviour during these social tasks. Results: The child’s avoidance behaviour did not significantly differ during the social tasks between the stranger paired with the threat/anxiety versus safe condition. However, children who reported more BI sensitivity showed more avoidance behaviour independent of the verbal manipulation. Conclusions: The type of verbal information transmitted by parents did not influence the child’s avoidance behaviour towards strangers. In addition, this study confirmed the existing evidence that BI is a risk factor for developing SAD behaviour.Show less

verbal information pathway

parents

strangers

avoidance behaviour

behavioural inhibition

Author

Strengers, J.G.C.

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Clinical Psychology

Supervisors

Evin Aktar

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en