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Journal Article

Citation

Briggs-Gowan MJ, Grasso D, Bar-Haim Y, Voss J, McCarthy KJ, Pine DS, Wakschlag LS. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 2016; 57(9): 1083-1091.

Affiliation

Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/jcpp.12577

PMID

27296760

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Threat-related attention bias relates to anxiety and posttraumatic stress symptoms in adults and adolescents, but few longitudinal studies examine such associations in young children. This study examines prospective relations among attention bias, trauma exposure, and anxiety and trauma symptoms in a sample previously reported to manifest cross-sectional associations between attention bias and observed anxiety at preschool age.

METHODS: Young children [mean (MN) = 5.0, ±0.7 years, n = 208] from a community-based sample completed the dot-probe task to assess their attention biases in response to angry faces. At baseline (T1) and at follow-up approximately 9 months later (T2), anxiety and trauma exposure (i.e. violent and noninterpersonal events) and symptoms were assessed by maternal report.

RESULTS: Neither attention bias nor baseline or recent trauma exposure predicted later anxiety. In contrast, attention bias toward threat and recent trauma exposure significantly predicted later trauma symptoms. There was evidence of symptom specificity such that attention bias toward threat significantly predicted hyperarousal and dissociation, but not avoidance or re-experiencing symptoms. Finally, moderation analyses indicated that the relationship between attention bias and trauma symptoms may differ according to children's experiences of probable abuse.

CONCLUSIONS: Attention profiles and trauma exposure may increase the risk that young children will develop trauma symptoms. Individual differences in these attentional patterns and children's exposure history may impact outcomes among high-risk children with potential implications for intervention.

© 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.


Language: en

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