Abstract
High and stable behavioral inhibition during early childhood is a risk factor for later anxiety disorders. The few available interventions targeted at behavioral inhibition have not yet been implemented in European countries. Evaluating intervention acceptability is essential when introducing interventions in new cultures. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of parents about the acceptability of the multicomponent Turtle Program in Portugal. Participants were 12 parents (from seven families) of children with a positive screening on the Behavioral Inhibition Questionnaire and no diagnoses of developmental disorders/selective mutism. Children's mean age was 55.86 months and most children were female and first-born. Parents and children participated in the eight-sessions Turtle Program. After each session, parents completed weekly satisfaction checklists. Following completion of the full intervention, parents were invited to participate in individual qualitative in-depth interviews. The thematic analysis revealed that both parents perceived the intervention objectives and contents as relevant. Both parents suggested the introduction of follow-up sessions, the discussion of practical experiences, the need to be sensitive to cultural differences in positive language, and the provision of more feedback about children's activities. These findings support prior research on the acceptability and cultural tailoring needed for parenting and child socioemotional learning interventions.
Highlights
Preventing the unhealthy developmental trajectories that may be associated with behavioral inhibition (BI) during the preschool years has become a major concern in the recent years (Chronis-Tuscano et al, 2018)
Recent research has focused on the modifiable parenting and peer factors that can intensify or decrease the strength of the associations between BI/anxious withdrawal (AW) and later anxiety and that need to be targeted in early intervention programs (Danko, O’Brien, Rubin, & Chronis-Tuscano, 2018)
The sample consisted of 12 parents who participated in the multicomponent Turtle Program with their children
Summary
Preventing the unhealthy developmental trajectories that may be associated with behavioral inhibition (BI) during the preschool years has become a major concern in the recent years (Chronis-Tuscano et al, 2018). Displaying high and stable BI and AW across time, children have been found to be at greater risk of developing later anxiety disorders (Chronis-Tuscano et al, 2009), to be less socially competent than children of similar ages, and, more vulnerable to peer exclusion, rejection, and victimization (Rubin, Barstead, Smith & Bowker, 2018). Given that emotionregulation skills are associated with socially competent behaviors, inhibited/withdrawn children who grow up in such family environments were found to refrain from engaging in peer interactions at preschool (Smith, Hastings, Henderson & Rubin, 2019). When withdrawing from the peer group, research showed inhibited children loose important opportunities to acquire age-appropriate social skills and to be more likely to experience peer difficulties, which, in turn, maintain their self-imposed isolation in the presence of peers and increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders (Rubin et al, 2018)
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