Parent-child interactions and anxiety disorders: an observational study

Past research has indicated a potential link between anxiety and parenting styles that are characterised by control and rejection. However, few studie s have utilised observational methods to support these findings. In the cur rent study, mother-child interactions were observed while the child complet ed two difficult cognitive tasks. The sample consisted of clinically anxiou s children (n=43), oppositional defiant children (n=20) and non-clinical ch ildren (n=32). After adjusting for the age and sex of the child, mothers of anxious children and mothers of oppositional children displayed greater an d more intrusive involvement than mothers of nonclinical children. Mothers of anxious children were also more negative during the interactions than mo thers of non-clinical children. The differences between anxious and non-cli nical interactions were equivalent across three separate age groups. The re sults support the relationship between an overinvolved parenting style and anxiety but question the specificity of this relationship. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.