Complicated birth poses higher risk of developing social anxiety later in life: Study

A recent study has found a link between children who suffer from social anxiety and babies who had a complicated birth. The researchers found that the babies who had complicated birth had a higher risk of developing social anxiety later on in life. This study was published in the Journal of Infant and Child Development.

For the study, 149 children aged 9 to 12 years were screened for behavioural inhibition, a tendency to exhibit a fearful disposition and withdrawal in unfamiliar contexts and situations and were assessed for social anxiety symptoms using parent and child reports. Investigators found that pre-natal complications were associated with higher levels of behavioural inhibition and social anxiety symptoms.

Analyses also suggested that behavioural inhibition acted as a pathway between birth complications and social anxiety symptoms. This study has set the stage for future longitudinal work. They are going to further examine if childhood temperament is a developmental path by which birth complications lead to social anxiety symptoms.