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Specific Phobia in Young Children: Associations between the Origins of Fear and Clinical Expression of Phobia Symptoms.

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Title: Specific Phobia in Young Children: Associations between the Origins of Fear and Clinical Expression of Phobia Symptoms.
Authors: Trimarchi, Lisa, Waters, Allison M., Simcock, Gabrielle, Farrell, Lara J.
Source: Journal of Child & Family Studies. Apr2025, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p1018-1030. 13p.
Subjects: Phobias, Fear, Risk assessment, Mental health, Research funding, Parent-child relationships, Questionnaires, Interviewing, Neural development, Anxiety, Cognitive therapy, Psychology of parents, Avoidance (Psychology), Child behavior, Pathological psychology, Children
Abstract: Specific phobias set early in life, have a chronic course, and predict development of additional mental health concerns later in life; however, little is currently known about the origins of specific phobias in young children aged 3–6 years. The current study explores the origins of phobic fear among treatment seeking pre-school aged children diagnosed with a Specific Phobia. Specifically, Rachman's (1977) theory of fear acquisition and differences in children's specific phobia presentation and parental characteristics across direct and indirect (information and modelling) pathways. Seventy-four children aged 3–6 years with a specific phobia, and their parents completed an assessment battery of child phobic symptoms and related child and parent factors. Parents completed a child diagnostic telephone interview and online questionnaires assessing child factors (phobia type, phobia severity, child anxiety) and parent factors (fears, anxiety symptoms, psychopathology, parental rearing). Children participated in a standardised behavioural approach task (BAT) within the clinic and rated subjective units of distress for their phobic stimuli. All children who experienced a direct aversive event, regardless of other pathways endorsed, demonstrated more behavioural avoidance and subjective distress relative to those who did not. Animal phobias were associated with greater frequency of direct aversive events. Children experiencing the indirect pathways experienced greater generalised anxiety symptoms than all other pathways. The findings of this study suggest unique clusters of clinical presentations across the different pathways to fear among young children with SP. Future research examining whether treatment outcomes differ based on pathways to fear would enhance treatment planning. Highlights: Little is known about the origins of specific phobias around the time of onset, during the preschool years (ages 3–6). This study examines child clinical presentations associated with of Rachman's (1977) pathways to fear at the time of onset. Children who experienced a direct aversive event displayed greater behavioural avoidance and subjective distress. Children who experienced indirect (information and modelling) pathways to fear displayed more generalised anxiety symptoms. Parental factors, including psychopathology and parenting styles did not differ across the different pathways to fear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Child & Family Studies is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Specific Phobia in Young Children: Associations between the Origins of Fear and Clinical Expression of Phobia Symptoms.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Trimarchi%2C+Lisa%22">Trimarchi, Lisa</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Waters%2C+Allison+M%2E%22">Waters, Allison M.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Simcock%2C+Gabrielle%22">Simcock, Gabrielle</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Farrell%2C+Lara+J%2E%22">Farrell, Lara J.</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Child+%26+Family+Studies%22">Journal of Child & Family Studies</searchLink>. Apr2025, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p1018-1030. 13p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phobias%22">Phobias</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fear%22">Fear</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Risk+assessment%22">Risk assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health%22">Mental health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent-child+relationships%22">Parent-child relationships</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Questionnaires%22">Questionnaires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviewing%22">Interviewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neural+development%22">Neural development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+therapy%22">Cognitive therapy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+parents%22">Psychology of parents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Avoidance+%28Psychology%29%22">Avoidance (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+behavior%22">Child behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pathological+psychology%22">Pathological psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink>
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  Data: Specific phobias set early in life, have a chronic course, and predict development of additional mental health concerns later in life; however, little is currently known about the origins of specific phobias in young children aged 3–6 years. The current study explores the origins of phobic fear among treatment seeking pre-school aged children diagnosed with a Specific Phobia. Specifically, Rachman's (1977) theory of fear acquisition and differences in children's specific phobia presentation and parental characteristics across direct and indirect (information and modelling) pathways. Seventy-four children aged 3–6 years with a specific phobia, and their parents completed an assessment battery of child phobic symptoms and related child and parent factors. Parents completed a child diagnostic telephone interview and online questionnaires assessing child factors (phobia type, phobia severity, child anxiety) and parent factors (fears, anxiety symptoms, psychopathology, parental rearing). Children participated in a standardised behavioural approach task (BAT) within the clinic and rated subjective units of distress for their phobic stimuli. All children who experienced a direct aversive event, regardless of other pathways endorsed, demonstrated more behavioural avoidance and subjective distress relative to those who did not. Animal phobias were associated with greater frequency of direct aversive events. Children experiencing the indirect pathways experienced greater generalised anxiety symptoms than all other pathways. The findings of this study suggest unique clusters of clinical presentations across the different pathways to fear among young children with SP. Future research examining whether treatment outcomes differ based on pathways to fear would enhance treatment planning. Highlights: Little is known about the origins of specific phobias around the time of onset, during the preschool years (ages 3–6). This study examines child clinical presentations associated with of Rachman's (1977) pathways to fear at the time of onset. Children who experienced a direct aversive event displayed greater behavioural avoidance and subjective distress. Children who experienced indirect (information and modelling) pathways to fear displayed more generalised anxiety symptoms. Parental factors, including psychopathology and parenting styles did not differ across the different pathways to fear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Child & Family Studies is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1007/s10826-025-03040-z
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        Text: English
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        PageCount: 13
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      – SubjectFull: Phobias
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fear
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Risk assessment
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      – SubjectFull: Mental health
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      – SubjectFull: Neural development
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      – SubjectFull: Child behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Children
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      – TitleFull: Specific Phobia in Young Children: Associations between the Origins of Fear and Clinical Expression of Phobia Symptoms.
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              Text: Apr2025
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