Childrearing style of anxiety-disordered parents

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2006 Fall;37(1):89-102. doi: 10.1007/s10578-006-0022-9.

Abstract

This study investigated whether anxiety-disordered (AD) parents differ in their childrearing style from non-disordered parents. A clinical sample of 36 AD parents with children aged 6-18 was compared with a normal control sample of 36 parents. Childrearing was assessed through parent report and child report. The results demonstrated significant differences in childrearing style between AD parents and non-disordered control parents, both from the perspective of the parent and from that of the child. AD parents reported a less nurturing and more restrictive rearing style than control parents. Their children did not report more rejection or less warmth than children of control parents; they did, however, report significantly more overprotection than children of control parents. The findings, from parental as well as child reports, apply to both AD mothers and AD fathers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology*
  • Child
  • Child Rearing*
  • Child of Impaired Parents / psychology
  • Child of Impaired Parents / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Parent-Child Relations
  • Parents / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires