Parental rearing and child anxiety: A transactional approach

Michelle C Levy, Purdue University

Abstract

Parental rejection has been shown to be associated with childhood anxiety problems. However, most research has been conducted with European Americans. This study used a cross-lagged panel design across three time points with a sample of predominantly African American families (96%) to test several hypotheses. Namely, subdimensions of parental rejection (i.e., withdrawal, lack of warmth, aversiveness) would differentially predict child anxiety across time with parental withdrawal and aversiveness having the strongest effect and lack of warmth having the weakest effect; child anxiety would predict these three parenting behaviors across time; and effects of parenting and child anxiety would be bidirectional. For parent report, lack of warmth and withdrawal predicted child anxiety inconsistently across time. Additionally, child anxiety at time 1 predicted parental aversiveness at time 2. A bidirectional effect was supported between parental withdrawal and child anxiety between times 2 and 3. For child report, parental aversiveness at time 1 predicted anxiety at time 2 for boys only. No other parenting behaviors predicted child anxiety. Finally, child anxiety did not predict parenting behaviors. Methodological issues and clinical implications are discussed.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Lynam, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Developmental psychology|Clinical psychology

COinS