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Childhood Fears, Neurobehavioral Functioning and Behavior Problems in School-Age Children

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Abstract

The objective is to examine underlying associations between childhood fears, behavior problems and neurobehavioral functioning (NBF) in school-age children. Healthy, regular school children (N = 135), from second, fourth and sixth grade classes were assessed. Data regarding children’s fears and behavioral problems were obtained with the Revised Fear Survey Schedule for Children, the Child Behavior Checklist, and NBF was assessed using a computerized neurobehavioral evaluation system. Significant correlations between childhood fears and NBF measures and somatic complaints were found. Children who reported higher levels of fears demonstrated lower working memory span (r = 0.24, p < 0.05), lower motor speed (r = −0.23, p < 0.05), and had more somatic complaints (r = 0.20, p < 0.05). Furthermore, younger children reported less fears than older ones and girls reported more fears than boys. These results highlight significant association between childhood fears, NBF and behavior problems in a non-clinical group children. Lower working memory span is an important component of executive control that may be an underlying factor in fears and anxiety in children.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Israeli Ministry of Education and by Helene and Woolf Marmot. The authors are thankful to all the families who participated in the study, to Ornit Arbel for her technical help, and to all the students who helped with data collection.

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The authors have no financial conflict of interest to report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Adler Center for Research in Child Development and Psychopathology, Department of Psychology, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 69978, Israel

    Jonathan Kushnir & Avi Sadeh

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  1. Jonathan Kushnir
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  2. Avi Sadeh
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Correspondence to Avi Sadeh.

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This was not an industry supported study.

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Kushnir, J., Sadeh, A. Childhood Fears, Neurobehavioral Functioning and Behavior Problems in School-Age Children. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 41, 88–97 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-009-0154-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-009-0154-9

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