Parent-Child Interactions and Adolescent Anxiety: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Parental behaviours have been implicated in the development and maintenance of anxiety in children and young people; however the degree to which findings apply to adolescents specifically remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review of studies examining the evidence for an association between parental behaviours and adolescent anxiety. Twenty two studies were identified. The results of this systematic review provide fairly consistent preliminary evidence for an association between anxiety and perceived parental control and anxious rearing in adolescence. The findings relating to an association between adolescent anxiety and perceived parental rejection and lack of warmth are somewhat less consistent. Methodological shortcomings in the studies mean that these results should be interpreted with caution. Future research should be conducted using observational and experimental design with adolescents from referred, clinical populations to help identify the critical parental processes and clarify the direction of effects.

The direct and indirect effect of attachment insecurity and negative parental behavior on anxiety in clinically anxious children: it's down to dad

“…Theoretical associations between negative parental behaviors and anxiety in children and adolescents have been supported by three empirical reviews (McLeod, Wood, & Weisz, 2007;Van der Bruggen, Stams, & B€ ogels, 2008;Waite, Whittington, & Creswell, 2014). Van der Bruggen et al (2008) found moderate effect sizes for negative parental behaviors, with the strongest for overprotection (d = .93), psychological control (d = .52), rejection (d = .41).…”

“…Theoretical associations between negative parental behaviors and anxiety in children and adolescents have been supported by three empirical reviews (McLeod, Wood, & Weisz, ; Van der Bruggen, Stams, & Bögels, ; Waite, Whittington, & Creswell, ). Van der Bruggen et al.…”

“…Waite et al. () found consistent evidence for an association between anxiety and parental control in primarily nonclinical adolescent samples, whereas evidence for a relationship between anxiety and parental rejection was less consistent. Despite theoretical emphasis on negative parental behaviors as an important contributing factor in childhood anxiety, the overall association between childhood anxiety and negative parental behaviors is modest, explaining only 4% of variance in anxiety (McLeod et al., ).…”

Introduction to the Special Issue: Understanding the Role of Attentional Control in the Development of Anxiety in Childhood, Adolescence and across the Lifespan

“…These cognitive factors do not exert their developmental impact in isolation, but interact in a complex manner with other factors underpinning the emergence of anxious disposition, as is characteristic of emotional development more broadly (e.g., Denham, 1998;Izard, 2007;Lewis, 2014). Cognitive vulnerability is suggested to interact with familial risk (e.g., negative and aversive family or peer experiences, insecure attachment with caregivers; Affrunti & WoodruffBorden, 2015; review by Waite, Whittington & Creswell, 2014), and exposure to specific threat experiences and challenging life events (e.g., Muris & Merkelbach, 2001;Oar, Farrell, & Ollendick, 2015;Rachman, 1998;Rapee, 2001). For example, while children inherit genes that increase vulnerability for anxiety (Hancock, Mitrou, Shipley, Lawrence & Zubrick, 2013;Micco et al, 2009), they are also more likely to experience an anxiogenic parenting style that can include parent over-control, parent modeling of anxiety and distress, and the sharing of negative information and avoidance of feared objects or events (Eley, 2015;review by Creswell Murray, Stacey & Cooper, 2011).…”

Relationship between Social Anxiety and Parental Authority among College of Education Students’ at SQU

“…The results of this systematic review provided fairly consistent preliminary evidence for an association between anxiety and perceived parental control and anxious parenting in adolescence. (Waitea, Whittingtonb & Creswella, 2014).…”