Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2026
07:56
Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Anxiety within families: interrelations, consistency, and change
Joan Stevenson-Hinde1, James Patrick Curley, Rebecca Chicot
1Sub-Dept. of Animal Behaviour, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Madingley, United Kingdom CB23 8AA.
Family Process
|December 21, 2007
Summary
Maternal anxiety significantly impacts family dynamics and marital satisfaction. Parental mental health and family functioning show long-term stability, with maternal anxiety improving over time.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Family Studies
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- High maternal anxiety levels were observed in a community sample of mothers with 4.5-year-old children.
- Maternal anxiety was more prevalent than depression, with only 54% of mothers in the normal Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) range for anxiety.
- Parental mental health and family functioning exhibit considerable stability over an 8-year period.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the factors associated with maternal and paternal anxiety in families with young children.
- To examine the longitudinal stability of parental mental health and family functioning.
- To identify predictors of marital separation within the study sample.
Main Methods:
- A community sample of 763 mothers and their 4.5-year-old children was assessed.
- A subsample of 116 two-parent families was selected for detailed analysis.
- Longitudinal assessments of anxiety, depression, and family functioning were conducted over 8 years.
Main Results:
- Maternal anxiety was linked to marital satisfaction, family functioning, and paternal mental health, not demographic factors.
- Paternal anxiety was associated with maternal perceptions of marital satisfaction and family functioning.
- Initial family functioning, dyadic adjustment, and maternal anxiety predicted later marital separation, with paternal dyadic adjustment being the strongest predictor.
Conclusions:
- Parental mental health and family functioning are interconnected and stable over time.
- Maternal anxiety and perceptions of family functioning improved significantly over the 8-year follow-up.
- Poor dyadic adjustment in fathers is a key indicator of potential marital dissolution.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Anxiety: Overview
Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
03:34Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.
01:30Family Therapy
Family therapy conceptualizes psychological challenges as arising from dysfunctional interactions within the family unit, rather than as isolated issues within individuals. This approach seeks to address and transform the patterns of communication, roles, and relationships within families to promote healthier dynamics and emotional well-being for all members.
Strategic Family Therapy
Strategic family therapy emphasizes resolving communication barriers and improving problem-solving abilities...
Strategic Family Therapy
Strategic family therapy emphasizes resolving communication barriers and improving problem-solving abilities...
01:28Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is characterized by an intense fear of social situations where one might face humiliation, rejection, embarrassment, or negative evaluation. This disorder leads individuals to avoid activities like casual conversations, public speaking, or seemingly simple tasks such as eating, signing documents, or swimming, in public settings. Its impact extends beyond discomfort, often significantly interfering with daily functioning and quality of life.
01:18Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
Self-esteem, a crucial component of psychological development, is significantly shaped by familial experiences. The early parent-child relationship serves as a foundational influence on a child's self-concept, with long-lasting effects extending into adolescence and adulthood.Parental Behaviors and Early Self-Esteem FormationEmpirical studies have identified four principal parental behaviors that foster healthy self-esteem in children. These include expressions of acceptance, affection, and...
01:28Relationship with Parents: Attachment
Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...