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How do early traits shape the path to anxiety and what can we do about it?
In this insightful session, Dr. Koraly Pérez-Edgar, McCourtney Professor of Child Studies at Penn State University, will explore how early-emerging temperament, particularly behavioral inhibition, can influence children’s long-term social and emotional development.
Drawing on extensive longitudinal research and neuroscience, Dr. Pérez-Edgar will show how patterns of vigilance and avoidance in infancy interact with attention and emotion regulation to shape risk for social anxiety. She will highlight how individual differences in these early processes offer key opportunities for intervention.
Designed for researchers and practitioners alike, this session will balance cutting-edge science with practical implications, leaving the audience with a deeper understanding of how early traits can shape lifelong outcomes and how we can intervene.
About the session
Dr. Koraly Pérez-Edgar will explore how early temperament—especially behavioral inhibition—can serve as a developmental “tether,” shaping children’s long-term social and emotional trajectories. Drawing from longitudinal research and neuroscience, she will show how early-emerging traits interact with attention, emotion regulation, and neural functioning to influence the risk for developing social anxiety.
Attendees will learn how patterns of heightened vigilance and avoidance in infancy and toddlerhood can become entrenched across childhood, particularly when reinforced by cognitive and emotional processes. Dr. Pérez-Edgar will highlight how individual differences in attention bias and emotion regulation can either amplify or buffer anxiety risk—offering potential points of intervention.
This talk will be especially relevant for individuals interested in early identification and prevention of anxiety disorders. Dr. Pérez-Edgar will emphasize how understanding the neural and behavioral pathways from temperament to anxiety can guide the development of targeted, developmentally sensitive supports. Designed for both researchers and practitioners, her presentation will balance cutting-edge science with practical implications, leaving the audience with a deeper understanding of how early traits can shape lifelong outcomes—and how we can intervene.
Learning outcomes
1. Understand the relations between early temperament and the emergence of anxiety in childhood and adolescence.
2. Identify cognitive, emotional, and neural mechanisms that can modulate risk for anxiety.
3. Build on the mechanistic evidence to identify at risk children and outline potential interventions.
Interactive overview
Use the interactive programme below to gain an overview of the topic, meet the speaker, test your knowledge, and a whole lot more!
About the speaker
Dr. Koraly Pérez-Edgar is the McCourtney Professor of Child Studies at Penn State University and an expert in developmental risk for anxiety. Her research explores how early temperament and attention shape socioemotional development, with a focus on identifying children most at risk for anxiety. In doing so, she focuses on the early trait of Behavioral Inhibition, which can lead to a 6-fold increased risk for later anxiety. Drawing on decades of experience, including leadership in large-scale longitudinal studies and translational research, Dr. Pérez-Edgar bridges neuroscience and practical application. Her engaging work offers vital insights for practitioners and scientists alike, making her a sought-after speaker in developmental psychology, mental health, and early intervention.