Association between fears and behavior/ emotional problems in toddlers and preschoolers
Keywords:
Fears, Preschoolers, Toddlers, Internalizing, ExternalizingAbstract
Fears are natural during development, but they can become a problem if they are excessive or recurring, associated with internalizing problems, such as anxiety. Although there has been literature exploring childhood fears for over a decade, there is still a lack of research using only preschoolers’ samples and association with externalizing problems. This study investigated young children’s fears and their associations with behavior problems. Seventy parents/guardians of children aged between two and five filled out 1) Fear Survey Schedule for Infants and Preschoolers (FSSIP); 2) Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)/1,5-5. The most frequent fear was getting a shot from a nurse or doctor, and girls presented significantly higher fear than boys. Significant correlations were found between fears and internalizing problems, especially in emotionally reactive, anxious/depressed, affective problems, anxiety problems, and sleep problems. Effect size increased in all correlations and was stronger when the high-intensity fear score was considered. The association between fears and emotional/behavioral problems exists even at early ages and in non-referred samples. Parents and health professionals should be aware of children’s difficulties even at early ages, especially when children have intense fears.
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