The Influence of Puberty and Peer Attachment on Fear Extinction in Early-Adolescents

Fear is a crucial defence mechanism that is aroused by an imminent threat and prepares an organism to take action. However, unnecessary fears that persist may lead to anxiety and stress-related disorders. Therefore, the extinction of a fear response is important. During the hormonal, brain and social changes in adolescence, the ability to extinct fears seems to decline. In this study we examined the role of pubertal development and peer attachment on fear extinction in 107 healthy participants between 9 and 12 years old. During this study, participants were shown natural looking faces. One of the faces (CS+) was presented together with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (A loud scream in combination with an anxious looking face (US)). The other natural looking face (CS-) was not presented with this aversive stimulus (US). During the fear extinction phase, both CS’s were shown without the US. Thereafter, the reinstatement phase took place, during which the fear reaction was first...Show moreFear is a crucial defence mechanism that is aroused by an imminent threat and prepares an organism to take action. However, unnecessary fears that persist may lead to anxiety and stress-related disorders. Therefore, the extinction of a fear response is important. During the hormonal, brain and social changes in adolescence, the ability to extinct fears seems to decline. In this study we examined the role of pubertal development and peer attachment on fear extinction in 107 healthy participants between 9 and 12 years old. During this study, participants were shown natural looking faces. One of the faces (CS+) was presented together with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (A loud scream in combination with an anxious looking face (US)). The other natural looking face (CS-) was not presented with this aversive stimulus (US). During the fear extinction phase, both CS’s were shown without the US. Thereafter, the reinstatement phase took place, during which the fear reaction was first reignited again by showing the US three times again. This fear then was extinct again during the test phase by showing the CS’s without US. The fear acquisition seemed to have worked for girls only. However, boys were able to differentiate between the CS’s during fear extinction and might have learned slowly. During fear extinction, there was no decrease in CS differentiation, meaning that fear extinction did not work as expected. No effect of pubertal development nor peer attachment was found. The reinstatement phase seemed successful. During the test phase was found that pre-puberty boys show a general differential fear response, but boys in puberty do not show this general differential fear response. Thus, boys in puberty seem to show stronger recurrence of a differential fear response after reinstatement. This effect was not found in girls. Lastly, boys with high peer attachment seemed to have better fear extinction during the test phase compared to boys with low peer attachment, meaning that peer attachment may serve as a protective factor. This study might help develop research based on pubertal development or help future research based on peer support and social learning.Show less

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The Influence of Puberty and Peer Attachment on Fear Extinction in Early-Adolescents