Behavioral Inhibition and Its Relation to Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Adolescents With Sickle Cell Disease: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Several investigations have found support for the role of behavioral inhibition in the etiology of childhood anxiety and depression disorders. However, nothing is known about how this relation extends to children with a chronic, life-threatening illness. The purpose of the current study was to examine behavioral inhibition and its relation to anxiety and depression symptoms among 30 adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD). Adolescents with SCD and their primary caregivers completed instruments assessing demographic information, behavioral inhibition, and anxiety and depression symptoms. A majority of adolescents with SCD classified themselves as middle or low on behavioral inhibition. Adolescents with SCD who classified themselves as high on behavioral inhibition displayed higher levels of anxiety and depression than adolescents with SCD who classified themselves as low on behavioral inhibition; adolescents with SCD endorsing the middle behavioral inhibition category generally scored in between. These data extend previous work with healthy children and adolescents and suggest that early and continued assessment of behavioral inhibition may be important in preventing adverse psychological outcomes among a group that is already at risk for internalizing disorders.