Two Models of the Development of Social Withdrawal and Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Progress and Blind Spots

This commentary features a review of two recently reformulated models of the development of child and adolescent: (1) social withdrawal by Rubin and Chronis-Tuscano 2021, and (2) social anxiety by Spence and Rapee 2016. The articles that present these reformulated models now cover advances made duri...

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Main Author: Heidi Gazelle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-05-01
Series:Children
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/5/734
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author Heidi Gazelle
author_facet Heidi Gazelle
author_sort Heidi Gazelle
collection DOAJ
description This commentary features a review of two recently reformulated models of the development of child and adolescent: (1) social withdrawal by Rubin and Chronis-Tuscano 2021, and (2) social anxiety by Spence and Rapee 2016. The articles that present these reformulated models now cover advances made during the prior 12 to 18 years of research, including increased knowledge of genetic vulnerability to anxiety and longitudinal patterns of development, and acknowledgement of multiple pathways towards and away from the development of social withdrawal or social anxiety (i.e., equifinality, multifinality). However, these reformulated models also contain several blind spots. The model of social withdrawal development would be improved by explicitly referring to peer treatment (not only attitudinal peer rejection), especially peer exclusion; and incorporating the potential development of clinically significant anxiety in childhood (not only adolescence) and delays in developmental milestones in adulthood. The model of social anxiety development would be improved by featuring social withdrawal as a proximal affective-behavioral profile (rather than a temperament) and drawing upon the literature on social withdrawal and its links to peer relations. Overall, there is a continuing lack of integration between developmental and clinical research and models of the development of social withdrawal and social anxiety.
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spelling doaj.art-a0e4c26d80a14aaa9e326b29207c63f02023-11-23T10:31:36ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672022-05-019573410.3390/children9050734Two Models of the Development of Social Withdrawal and Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Progress and Blind SpotsHeidi Gazelle0Human Development and Family Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USAThis commentary features a review of two recently reformulated models of the development of child and adolescent: (1) social withdrawal by Rubin and Chronis-Tuscano 2021, and (2) social anxiety by Spence and Rapee 2016. The articles that present these reformulated models now cover advances made during the prior 12 to 18 years of research, including increased knowledge of genetic vulnerability to anxiety and longitudinal patterns of development, and acknowledgement of multiple pathways towards and away from the development of social withdrawal or social anxiety (i.e., equifinality, multifinality). However, these reformulated models also contain several blind spots. The model of social withdrawal development would be improved by explicitly referring to peer treatment (not only attitudinal peer rejection), especially peer exclusion; and incorporating the potential development of clinically significant anxiety in childhood (not only adolescence) and delays in developmental milestones in adulthood. The model of social anxiety development would be improved by featuring social withdrawal as a proximal affective-behavioral profile (rather than a temperament) and drawing upon the literature on social withdrawal and its links to peer relations. Overall, there is a continuing lack of integration between developmental and clinical research and models of the development of social withdrawal and social anxiety.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/5/734social anxietysocial withdrawalshynessdevelopmentpeer relationsparenting
spellingShingle Heidi Gazelle
Two Models of the Development of Social Withdrawal and Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Progress and Blind Spots
Children
social anxiety
social withdrawal
shyness
development
peer relations
parenting
title Two Models of the Development of Social Withdrawal and Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Progress and Blind Spots
title_full Two Models of the Development of Social Withdrawal and Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Progress and Blind Spots
title_fullStr Two Models of the Development of Social Withdrawal and Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Progress and Blind Spots
title_full_unstemmed Two Models of the Development of Social Withdrawal and Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Progress and Blind Spots
title_short Two Models of the Development of Social Withdrawal and Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Progress and Blind Spots
title_sort two models of the development of social withdrawal and social anxiety in childhood and adolescence progress and blind spots
topic social anxiety
social withdrawal
shyness
development
peer relations
parenting
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/5/734
work_keys_str_mv AT heidigazelle twomodelsofthedevelopmentofsocialwithdrawalandsocialanxietyinchildhoodandadolescenceprogressandblindspots