Association between negative parent-related family interactions and child social anxiety: A cross-cultural systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

This meta-analysis systematically evaluates the strength and direction of the association between negative parent-related family interactions and child social anxiety, and identifies several influencing moderators. Two investigators independently searched international (PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science) and Chinese (CNKI, WanFang, and VIP) databases from their inception dates until March 5, 2023, for suitable articles. Of the 5771 identified records, 85 studies were selected based on inclusion of at least one of the following three dimensions of negative family interactions: insecure attachment (n = 27), parent-related family conflicts (n = 19), or negative parenting styles (n = 46). Meta-analyses showed that all three dimensions were significantly associated with child social anxiety (insecure attachment: r = 0.271, p < 0.0001; parent-related family conflicts: r = 0.226, p < 0.0001; negative parenting styles: r = 0.186, p < 0.0001). For all three dimensions, this association was stronger in children from East Asian culture than in those from European or American culture. In addition, age group, information source, and publication year also significantly moderated this association. Our findings will help guide further research and provide recommendations for the development of effective interventions for reducing social anxiety.

Keywords: Children; Cultural discrepancies; Family conflict; Insecure attachment; Parenting style; Social anxiety.