We contend that childhood temperament shapes the
manner in which individuals perceive their surroundings, which influences their social interactions in a reciprocal
manner and eventual social and mental health outcomes.17 This
dynamic is
particularly evident in early adolescence during which the emergence of the peer group as a more salient influence on development coincides with sharp increases in psychopathology, 16
particularly SAD.6, 15,18 Temperament also shapes vital cognitive processes, such as attention and certain executive processes which provide the foundation from which children perceive and respond to social cues in the environment.