Parental rearing as a function of parent's own, partner's, and child's anxiety status: Fathers make the difference

Abstract

Parents of children with anxiety disorders are found to be over controlling and more rejecting in parentÁchild interactions than parents of control children. However, most studies included mothers, and the rearing behaviour of fathers of anxious children is largely unknown. Also, it remains unclear whether parents' control and rejection is a response to child's anxiety, or (also) results from parents' own anxiety. Participants were 121 children referred with anxiety disorders and 38 control children, and their parents. The diagnostic status of all parents was assessed. Each child conducted discussions around issues of disagreement, with father, with mother, and with both parents. Compared to parents of control children, fathers and mothers of clinically anxious children displayed more control to their child, but not more rejection, and fathers supported their partner less. Effect sizes, however, were small. In families of fathers with anxiety disorders, fathers were borderline more controlling and rejecting and mothers more rejecting towards their anxious child than in families of fathers without anxiety disorders. Fathers with anxiety disorders dominated the conversation relative to mothers, which was associated with greater controlling of the child. Effect sizes were medium. Mothers' anxiety status was not associated with different rearing behaviours in both parents. It is concluded that fathers' anxiety status seems to make the difference in raising an anxious child.

Examining potential risk factors for anxiety in early childhood

“…These findings are somewhat surprising considering the recent literature highlighting the unique contribution of fathers on child anxiety (for review : Bögels & Phares, 2008) and the suggestions that anxious fathers may be less effective in their role of autonomy and encouragement, resulting in increased child anxiety (Bögels, Bamelis, & van der Bruggen, 2008). Instead, our results (although the effect was small) suggest that increased negative affectivity in fathers does not directly predict the development of child anxiety.…”

Parenting, Family Functioning and Anxiety-Disordered Children: Comparisons to Controls, Changes After Family Versus Child CBT

“…The parenting and family functioning constructs that are measured by the RBQ and FFS are therefore not explicitly targeted in the CCBT. The program encompasses psycho education, challenging anxiety-provoking thoughts, coping behavior, exposure in vivo according to a fear hierarchy and a reinforcement system, (behavioral) experiments, and relapse prevention (Bodden et al 2008;Bögels et al 2008). Research showed that 73 % of the children recovered from their primary anxiety diagnosis 3 months after CCBT (Bodden et al 2008).…”

The Parenting Behaviors of Shy–Anxious Mothers: The Moderating Role of Vagal Tone

“…Thus, it may be prudent for future studies to examine these processes in clinical samples. It is also important to note that the examination of these processes in fathers is imperative (e.g., Bogels et al 2008), as is the consideration of how child characteristics interact with parental traits to shape family interactions and relationships (e.g., Schrock and Woodruff-Borden 2010).…”