1
|
Islamiah N, Breinholst S, Walczak MA. Associations Between Parents' Cognitions About Child Anxiety and Emotion Dysregulation in Clinically Anxious Children: The Unique Contribution of Fathers. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024; 55:1269-1278. [PMID: 36595111 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01487-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the influence of parental cognition, including attitudes, beliefs, and understanding of anxiety, on emotion dysregulation in children with anxiety disorder. A total of 47 clinically anxious children (6-17 years old) and their parents were involved in the current study. The mothers and fathers separately completed a self-reported questionnaire assessing their attitudes, beliefs, and understanding of their children's anxiety, while the children completed a self-report questionnaire assessing emotion dysregulation. Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were used for data analysis. The results indicated that only fathers' higher levels of unhelpful attitudes, beliefs, and understanding of anxiety were positively and significantly associated with greater emotion regulation (ER) difficulties in anxious children. Furthermore, fathers' unhelpful cognitions regarding anxiety uniquely predicted their children's emotion regulation difficulties. These findings highlight the importance of including fathers in preventive and therapeutic interventions in promoting ER abilities in children with anxiety disorder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nur Islamiah
- Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, IPB University, 16680, Bogor, Indonesia.
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, København K, Denmark.
| | - Sonja Breinholst
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, København K, Denmark
| | - Monika A Walczak
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, København K, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
A Mindful Parenting Program for Parents Concerned About Child Internalizing Problems: a Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study. Mindfulness (N Y) 2022; 13:430-448. [PMID: 35069922 PMCID: PMC8760132 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-021-01805-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
3
|
The Role of Parental Anxiety Sensitivity and Beliefs About Child Anxiety in the Relationship Between Parent and Child Anxiety. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-021-09937-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
4
|
Conroy K, Salem H, Georgiadis C, Hong N, Herrera A, Furr JM, Greif Green J, Comer JS. Gauging Perceptions and Attitudes About Student Anxiety and Supports Among School-Based Providers. SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12310-021-09470-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
5
|
Assessing parental cognitions about child anxiety: Are parents' thoughts about child anxiety associated with child anxiety and anxiety sensitivity? J Anxiety Disord 2021; 80:102400. [PMID: 33894551 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2021.102400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety sensitivity (AS) or the fear of anxious symptomatology, has garnered support in both adult and child samples for its predictive validity of anxiety disorders. Recent efforts to identify familial factors that predict anxiety amongst youth have identified a construct similar to AS amongst parents, but instead focused on the child rather than on the self. The overarching goal of the present study was to examine the extent to which two measures of this construct [the Parent Sensitivity to Child Anxiety Index (PSCAI) and the Parental Beliefs about Anxiety Questionnaire (PBA-Q)] correlated with child and parent AS and anxiety and how these measures explained the relationships between parent- and child-reported AS and anxiety. A secondary aim of the present study was to psychometrically compare the PSCAI and the PBA-Q with respect to not only their convergence with parent and child AS and anxiety, but also the extent to which each mediated the parent-child relationships between these variables. The PSCAI and PBA-Q significantly mediated the relationship between parent and child AS, each yielding small significant indirect effects. Support was also observed for a double mediation model in which parental anxiety predicted parental AS, which predicted parental beliefs about and parental sensitivity to child anxiety, which in turn predicted child anxiety. Findings suggest that both parental beliefs about and sensitivity to child anxiety are both correlated with and partially explain the relationship between parent and child AS and anxiety, providing potential points of intervention in treatment and prevention efforts for child anxiety.
Collapse
|
6
|
The Role of Parental Beliefs About Anxiety and Attachment on Parental Accommodation of Child Anxiety. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2021; 50:51-62. [PMID: 33534096 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-020-00722-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This study examined: 1) the relationship between negative parental beliefs about child anxiety (i.e., it is harmful), insecure parental attachment and parental accommodation of child anxiety; 2) whether parental attachment insecurity moderates the effect of negative beliefs about anxiety on parent accommodation; and 3) a path model of parental factors affecting accommodation and child anxiety severity. Participants were 139 parents of children (6-18 years) with a primary anxiety disorder. Parents completed measures of parental accommodation of their child's anxiety, beliefs about child anxiety, and attachment security. Child anxiety diagnosis and severity was determined using semi-structured clinical interviews. Negative beliefs about child anxiety were directly associated with levels of parental accommodation. There was no direct relationship between insecure attachment and accommodation; however anxious attachment moderated the effect of parental beliefs about anxiety on parental accommodation. Among parents with more secure attachment, negative beliefs about anxiety were associated with greater parental accommodation. However, among parents with less secure attachment, accommodation was high regardless of beliefs about anxiety. A path model suggested that negative beliefs about anxiety was related to increased parental accommodation, which in turn was related to increased child anxiety severity. Psychoeducation about the nature of anxiety is likely to be beneficial in helping to reduce accommodation among parents with more secure attachment styles. However, among those with greater anxious attachment, psychoeducation may need to be tailored to focus on corrective information about the impact of treatment processes on the parent-child relationship.
Collapse
|
7
|
Burgdorf V, Szabó M. The Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale in Mothers of Children and Infants: Factor Structure and Associations With Child Internalizing Problems. Front Psychol 2021; 11:633709. [PMID: 33613370 PMCID: PMC7886992 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.633709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Mindful parenting, measured by the Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale (IMP), is beneficial for parents and children. However, the IMP has not been validated in English-speaking parents. Further, little is known about whether mindful parenting is similar in parents of children vs. infants, or how it reduces child internalizing problems. We sought to validate the IMP in English-speaking mothers of children and infants, and to examine relationships between the facets of mindful parenting, child internalizing problems and parent variables related to internalizing. Methods: Using confirmatory factor analyses, we examined the fit of various models of mindful parenting in English-speaking community-recruited mothers of children aged 3-18 years (n = 396) and infants aged 0-2 years (n = 320). We used regression analyses to investigate relationships between the facets of mindful parenting, child internalizing problems, and parent variables including parental experiential avoidance, unhelpful beliefs about child anxiety and accommodation of child anxiety. Results: Mindful parenting can be measured in English-speaking mothers, using either a 5- or 6-factor, 29-item version of the IMP. These versions of the IMP operate similarly for mothers of children and infants. Child internalizing problems and related parent variables were best predicted by non-judgmental acceptance of parenting in mothers of children, and emotional self-awareness and non-reactivity in mothers of infants. Conclusions: The IMP is a valid measure of mindful parenting in English-speaking mothers of children and infants. Mindful parenting predicts child internalizing problems and related parent variables, suggesting that mindful parenting programs could benefit families of children with internalizing problems, potentially by reducing parental experiential avoidance, unhelpful beliefs about or accommodation of child anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Burgdorf
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
O'Connor EE, Holly LE, Chevalier LL, Pincus DB, Langer DA. Parent and child emotion and distress responses associated with parental accommodation of child anxiety symptoms. J Clin Psychol 2020; 76:1390-1407. [PMID: 32060945 PMCID: PMC7282941 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Parental accommodation contributes to the maintenance of child anxiety and related symptoms. The current study examines the contributions of parent and child factors to parental accommodation in a sample of anxious youth. METHODS Sixty-four treatment-seeking youth (6-16 years) and their mothers, as well as a subset of fathers (N = 41) reported on parental accommodation, parental distress and emotion regulation, child psychopathology, child externalizing behaviors, and child intolerance of uncertainty. RESULTS Parental accommodation was not related to parental distress or emotion regulation. Parents who viewed their child as being more symptomatic (e.g., anxious, externalizing, and intolerant of uncertainty) were more likely to engage in accommodation. For mothers, child anxiety and externalizing symptoms were notable predictors of accommodation. CONCLUSIONS Parent perceptions of child symptomology is an important factor significantly related to accommodation behaviors. This finding can be used to inform programming designed to target parental responses to child anxiety and related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin E O'Connor
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lindsay E Holly
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lydia L Chevalier
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Donna B Pincus
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David A Langer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Johnco C, Rapee RM. Depression literacy and stigma influence how parents perceive and respond to adolescent depressive symptoms. J Affect Disord 2018; 241:599-607. [PMID: 30172212 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to: (1) validate a measure of parental reactions, attitudes and understanding of adolescent depressive symptoms (PRAUD) and (2) examine the impact of adolescent and parent depressive symptoms, parental knowledge about adolescent depression (depression literacy), and parental depression stigma on parental responses to adolescent depression. METHOD Parents (N = 440) of adolescents aged 13-17 years completed an anonymous online questionnaire. RESULTS Factor analysis suggested four patterns of parental responses to adolescent depressive symptoms: overprotection, criticism, distress and support. Internal consistency was good for all PRAUD subscales (α = 0.80-0.88). Higher parent and adolescent depressive symptoms, greater depression stigma and lower depression literacy were associated with more negative parental responses. Higher adolescent depressive symptoms and poorer parent depression literacy predicted overprotective responses, and depression stigma moderated the effect of parent depressive symptoms. Depression literacy moderated the effect of parent depression on supportive parental responses, and stigma moderated the effect of adolescent depression. Higher levels of depression stigma and parent depression predicted critical responses, and depression literacy moderated the effect of adolescent depressive symptoms. Distress responses were predicted by higher stigma, and depression literacy moderated the effect of parent and adolescent depressive symptoms. LIMITATIONS Differences between the two sample recruitment sites. CONCLUSIONS There was evidence of more negative parental attitudes and responses among depressed parents and parents of depressed youth. Improving parental depression literacy and reducing depression stigma during treatment of adolescent depression may facilitate parental responsiveness, and in some circumstances, may help buffer against the negative impact of parental depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carly Johnco
- Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Ronald M Rapee
- Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Meyer JM, Clapp JD, Whiteside SP, Dammann J, Kriegshauser KD, Hale LR, Jacobi DM, Riemann BC, Deacon BJ. Predictive Relationship Between Parental Beliefs and Accommodation of Pediatric Anxiety. Behav Ther 2018; 49:580-593. [PMID: 29937259 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Behavior performed by parents to assist a youth in avoiding or alleviating anxiety, known as accommodation, is ubiquitous among pediatric anxiety disorders and strongly related to poor treatment outcome. According to cognitive-behavioral theory, the beliefs parents hold regarding accommodation should predict parental accommodating behavior. Unfortunately, little is known about the beliefs parents hold regarding accommodation, as there exists no validated measure of this construct. First, the psychometric properties were examined for the Parental Accommodation Scale (PAS), a novel measure of parental accommodating behavior frequency (PAS-Behavior scale) and parental beliefs about accommodation (PAS-Belief scale). Second, the relationship between parental beliefs about accommodation and accommodation frequency was examined. Results provide preliminary evidence of the internal consistency and convergent validity of the PAS. Stronger positive beliefs about accommodation significantly predicted accommodation frequency, even after controlling for youth anxiety severity. Specifically, beliefs that accommodation prevents youth from losing behavioral and emotional control significantly predicted accommodation frequency. Therefore, efforts to decrease accommodation in clinical settings should involve correcting maladaptive parental beliefs about accommodation, with a particular emphasis on beliefs regarding the necessity of accommodation in preventing a youth from losing behavioral and emotional control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Lisa R Hale
- Kansas City Center for Anxiety Treatment; University of Missouri-Kansas City
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Flessner CA, Murphy YE, Brennan E, D'Auria A. The Parenting Anxious Kids Ratings Scale-Parent Report (PAKRS-PR): Initial Scale Development and Psychometric Properties. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2017; 48:651-667. [PMID: 27770232 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-016-0688-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Developmental models of pediatric anxiety posit multiple, maladaptive parenting behaviors as potential risk factors. Despite this, a standardized means of assessing multiple of these practices (i.e., anxiogenic parenting) in a comprehensive and efficient manner are lacking. In Study 1531 parents of children 7-17 years old completed an online survey via Amazon Mechanical Turk. In Study 2, a separate community sample (N = 109; 9-17 years old) was recruited and completed a comprehensive assessment battery as part of a larger study. All parents (Study 1 and 2 samples) completed the Parenting Anxious Kids Ratings Scale-Parent Report (PAKRS-PR), a measurement tool designed to assess anxiogenic parenting. Factor analysis conducted as part of Study 1 revealed a 32-item scale consisting of five factors: conflict, overinvolvement, accommodation/beliefs, modeling, and emotional warmth/support. Four of these factors were significantly correlated with parent-report of anxiety severity. Within Study 2, the parents of children diagnosed with an anxiety or related disorder reported significantly higher levels of anxiogenic parenting practices as compared to the parents of healthy controls. The PAKRS-PR and respective subscales demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity in both the internet (Study 1) and community (Study 2) samples. The PAKRS-PR may be a beneficial multidimensional parenting scale for use among anxious youths.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yolanda E Murphy
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Elle Brennan
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Alexandra D'Auria
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| |
Collapse
|