EARLY DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAYS OF CHILDHOOD ANXIETY

George Washington University, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): The long-term aim of this Mentored Clinical Scientist Award is to train the candidate to become an independent investigator, conducting studies in the development of anxiety disorders in children and adolescence. The candidate will obtain didactic training in developmental physiology and neurobiology, statistics, and research design at the University of Minnesota. Mentors include L. Alan Sroufe, Ph.D. (primary mentor), Jerome Kagan, Ph.D. (temperament), Megan Gunnar, Ph.D. (physiology), Charles Nelson, Ph.D. (neurobiology), Gail Bernstien, M.D. (childhood anxiety disorders), M. Katherine Shear, M.D. (adult anxiety disorders) and Robert Cudek, Ph.D. (statistics). The premise of the research is that anxiety disorders develop as the result of genetic influences, infant reactivity or temperament and physiology, in combination with particular interpersonal relationship experiences. A "developmental pathways" research strategy will be used with the examination of intermediate outcome markers or precursors to anxiety disorders (behavioral inhibition and anxious/resistant attachment). Because children of mothers with panic disorder and agoraphobia (PDAG) are more likely to develop anxiety disorders than children of mothers without psychopathology, infants of mothers with PDAG and controls will be studied to increment the likelihood of anxiety disorder precursors. Sixty-five women with PDAG and sixty-five women without any psychopathology will be recruited during their third trimester of pregnancy. Infant reactivity, temperament, physiology and mother-infant relationships will be studied longitudinally from birth to 14 months of age to determine the relative importance and interaction of these factors. Because intervention efforts can most easily be focused on parent-child relationships, this research will also seek to clarify which types of parent-child interactions promote behavioral inhibition and ultimately childhood anxiety disorders.