Dissertation
EXAMINING THE MODERATING ROLE OF COGNITIVE CONTROL AND PARENTS IN THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BEHAVIORAL INHIBITION AND SOCIAL ANXIETY.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
2026
Abstract
Social anxiety is a pervasive mental health condition increasing in prevalence. Childrenhigh in behavioral inhibition (BI), a temperamental disposition to be fearful of novelty and to withdraw from unfamiliar social situations, are at a heightened risk of developing social anxiety compared to non-inhibited children. This study sought to examine moderators of the association between BI and social anxiety. Understanding factors that moderate this relationship help us understand the mechanisms by which an inhibited temperament may lead to psychopathology later in life. Study 1 tested the moderating role of cognitive control, including inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. This study also examined the impact of both emotional and neutral stimuli on the relation between BI and social anxiety. No significant interactions were observed. Study 2 examined the role of parent’s mental health, including anxiety and emotion regulation abilities. Contrary to the hypothesis, the data indicate that children high in BI with parents low in anxiety exhibited more symptoms of social anxiety than those with parents higher in anxiety. Study 3 examined the role of parenting behaviors, including warm and sensitive parenting, the strategies parents use to help their children cope with negative emotions, and parent-child conversations about negative emotions. The data indicate for inhibited children, parents’ use of problem-focused reactions was related to lower levels of social anxiety. This dissertation provides evidence for factors that are important for the development of social anxiety for inhibited children, as well as factors that are less important. These findings are important for informing prevention efforts targeting children high in BI.
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Details
- Title
- EXAMINING THE MODERATING ROLE OF COGNITIVE CONTROL AND PARENTS IN THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BEHAVIORAL INHIBITION AND SOCIAL ANXIETY.
- Creators
- Aryn M Vaughan
- Contributors
- Sammy Perone (Advisor)Maria Gartstein (Committee Member)Nicole Scalise (Committee Member)Sara Waters (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 124
- Identifiers
- 99901393895701842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation