Family and coping factors in the differentiation of childhood anxiety and depression

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to explore whether specific contextual (perception of family relationships) and personal (coping strategies) factors are more likely to be associated with anxiety or depression. The research was conducted on a sample of 331 children and adolescents ranging in age from 10 to 16 years who completed measures of the anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, coping strategies, and family interactions. Data were analysed according to gender differences. Among family variables, perceived father rejection was found to be best predictor of anxiety, and father and mother rejection, together with family satisfaction, was best predictor for the depression. Avoidance is a coping strategy that best predicts anxiety, and expressing feelings is a significant predictor of depression. This research strongly indicates that problems in family interactions are more associated and better predictors of depression than anxiety. Results support the argument that the two disorders are distinct and that they are characterized by unique coping and family profiles. Knowledge that anxiety and depression could be distinguished on the basis of family and coping variables may facilitate clinical assessment and treatment planning.

Prospective community study of family stress and anxiety in (pre)adolescents: the TRAILS study

“…Though few studies are available on the specific effects of family variables on anxiety and depression, findings indicate that specific parenting domains (e.g. rejection) are stronger associated with depression than with anxiety [44]. …”

Relations Among Children's Coping Strategies and Anxiety: The Mediating Role of Coping Efficacy

“…Other evidence suggests that active coping strategies are negatively related to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety (Eisenberg et al, 1995;Losoya, Eisenberg, & Fabes, 1998). Conversely, some findings also suggest positive relationships between the active coping methods and anxiety in school-age in Croatian children (Vulic-Prtoric & Macuka, 2006) and Dutch children (Muris et al, 1998). A predictive relationship was found between active coping and lower anxiety in school-age Swedish children (Larsson et al, 2000), whereas other studies have not found any significant associations (Lengua & Long, 2002;Sandler, Tein, et al, 2000;Sheffield Morris & Ricard Age, 2009).…”

“…For example, while theories generally suggest that active coping is associated with fewer psychological difficulties (Aldwin, 2007), empirical research has found evidence of active coping strategies being both positively (e.g., Muris et al, 1998;Smith et al, 2006;Vulic-Prtoric & Macuka, 2006) and negatively (e.g., Eisenberg et al, 1995;Sandler, Tein, & West, 1994) related to mental health difficulties, such as anxiety in children. Positive relationships have generally been found with support seeking coping strategies and childhood anxiety symptoms (Larsson et al, 2000;Muris et al, 1998;Smith et al, 2006;Vierhaus & Lohaus, 2009;Vulic-Prtoric & Macuka, 2006), despite theories suggesting the opposite. The studies that have investigated the relationships between avoidance and distraction coping and childhood anxiety symptoms have discovered positive relationships (e.g., Larsson et al, 2000;Sheffield Morris & Ricard Age, 2009).…”

“…Given that distraction coping was rarely identified as a separate coping strategy in the past, there are limited findings regarding its relationship to anxiety in children. The available research indicates that distraction coping strategies tend to be positively related to anxiety in European children (Larsson et al, 2000;Muris et al, 1998;Vierhaus & Lohaus, 2009;Vulic-Prtoric & Macuka, 2006).…”

“…Similarly, support seeking coping has also been neglected in the literature, but the little evidence suggests a fairly consistent positive relationship between use of support seeking strategies and higher levels of anxiety symptoms in children from various countries (Larsson et al, 2000;Muris et al, 1998;Smith et al, 2006;Vierhaus & Lohaus, 2009;Vulic-Prtoric & Macuka, 2006). Support seeking coping has also been found to be associated with higher levels of emotional difficulties in American children from military families (Sheffield Morris & Ricard Age, 2009).…”