Past Issues
Childhood Temperament of Behavioral Inhibition and
Anxiety
Yi-Ling Chien, M.D. 1, Wen-Che Tsai, M.D. 2, 3
The concept of "behavior inhibition" is a
temperamental trait established by Kagan in 1988
and describes the fear of reticence associated with
unfamiliar situations, events or strangers in children
around 2 years old. Longitudinal studies have
demonstrated that behavior inhibition in toddlers
influences future psychopathology, including higher
risks of social anxiety and multiple anxiety
disorder. Although the trait of behavior inhibition
is defined by laboratory observation, there has
also been evidence presented of a biological basis
for the trait, including activation of the autonomous
nervous system, hyperactivity of the hypothalamus-
pituitary-adrenal axis, increased amygdalar
activity, etc. Dimensions similar to behavior
inhibition have also been noted in other
paradigms of temperament, especially Gray's behavior
inhibition system. From the viewpoint of
cognitive psychology, several paradigms have
been developed to help the investigation of relatedness
between behavior inhibition and psychopathology.
Using these, many factors have been
shown to be correlated with behavior inhibition,
including environmental factors such as parenting
style and genetic factors such as genetic polymorphism
of the 5-HTT gene and of the gene encoding
corticotropin-releasing hormone. These
preliminary genetic results need to be verified further.
Finally, the temperament trait of behavior inhibition
would seem to be necessary for the internalization
of self-control and thus plays an important
part in the development of socialization. (Full
text in Chinese)
Key Word | behavioral inhibition, temperament, social phobia, social anxiety |
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