Abstract

GUEDES, Maryse; COELHO, Leandra; SANTOS, António J.  and  VERISSIMO, Manuela. Perceptions of Portuguese psychologists about behavioural inhibition/social withdrawal and their related intervention needs during early childhood. Psicologia [online]. 2020, vol.34, n.1, pp.147-161. ISSN 0874-2049.  https://doi.org/10.17575/psicologia.v34i1.1434.

Given the high prevalence of anxiety disorders, there has been an increasing need to intervene on the early risk factors for their development, namely behavioral inhibition and social withdrawal (BI/SW) during early childhood. However, the participation rates in preventive evidence-based interventions targeted at BI/SW have been modest, due to the gaps in parents’ and key gatekeepers’ (teachers and pediatricians) problem recognition. Given their pivotal role in enhancing problem recognition, this study aimed to explore the perceptions of Portuguese psychologists about BI/SW and their related intervention needs. Eighteen psychologists were distributed into three focus groups. Each focus group was moderated by a trained researcher, using a semi-structured interview guide. The thematic analysis revealed that Portuguese psychologists identified the manifestations and consequences of BI/SW, particularly in the social domain. Portuguese psychologists recommended the development of multi-component family interventions and interventions targeted at preschool teachers to promote social skills in the classroom.

Keywords : Behavioral inhibition; social withdrawal; preschool years; evidence-based preventive interventions.

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