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Can Mothers Predict Childhood Behavioural Inhibition in Early Infancy?

BACKGROUND
  Focusing on early identification of developmental risk factors, this study examined the question whether maternal report of child behaviour during early infancy is related to a laboratory measure of behavioural inhibition at 14 months of age.


METHOD
  A sample of 101 mother-infant pairs was recruited from local obstetric units. The Infant Behaviour Questionnaire (IBQ) was presented at 4 months postnatal age. Child behavioural inhibition was assessed at 14 months in a laboratory procedure.


RESULTS
  Infant distress to novelty as measured by the IBQ at 4 months postnatal age was found to be associated with toddler's fear score/behavioural inhibition at 14 months (p = .003). Distress-to-limitations subscore, smile/laughter subscore, activity subscore, and soothability subscore of the IBQ showed no correlation with behavioural inhibition.


CONCLUSIONS
  Behavioural inhibition, as a potential risk factor for childhood shyness and anxiety, can be predicted by maternal judgment of infant distress to novelty at age 4 months. The Infant Behaviour Questionnaire therefore might be used to identify infants presumably at risk for childhood anxiety disorders.