Parental Responses to Positive and Negative Emotions in Anxious and Nonanxious Children

Abstract

This study examined the role of multiple children's emotions and parental anxiety during parent–child interactions of anxiety disordered (AD) and nonanxious (NA) children ages 7 to 13 years. Families (mother, father, child) each discussed three recent and real separate situations in which the child experienced anxiety, anger, and happiness. Results revealed significant differences in behavior between parents of AD and NA children. Maternal behavior, but not paternal behavior, was related to the emotion the child was experiencing. Mothers of AD children displayed greater intrusive involvement than mothers of NA children in those situations in which the child was experiencing negative affect. A significant interaction was evident between maternal anxiety disorder and emotion, whereby anxious mothers were more intrusive in situations involving anxiety and anger (compared to positive emotion situations), whereas nonanxious mothers were more intrusive only during situations involving anger.

Notes

^a Anxiety disordered age M = 9.81, SD = 1.70; nonanxious age M = 9.45, SD = 1.43.

^b Four families (anxiety disordered, n = 2) did not provide the mother's highest level of education.

^c Six families (anxiety disordered, n = 3) did not provide the combined family income.

Note: Means sharing subscripts across rows are not significantly different at the critical alpha (p < .05).

 + p = .07.

Note: Means sharing subscripts across rows (within child group or parent group) are not significantly different at the critical alpha (p < .05). AD = anxiety disorder; NA = nonanxious.

^a n = 10.

^b n = 8.

^c n = 8.

^d n = 10.