Intergenerational relations in childhood anxiety: A network approach
Jeanine M D Baartmans1,2, Bonny F J A van Steensel3, Jolanda J Kossakowski4
1UvA Minds, Academic Treatment Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
|November 15, 2023
Summary
Child and parental anxiety symptoms are interconnected within families, with fear being a central symptom. These connections are more pronounced in families with children diagnosed with anxiety disorders, highlighting intergenerational anxiety transmission.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Genetics
Background:
- Family factors are crucial in childhood anxiety disorder development.
- The intricate interplay between child and parental anxiety symptoms at a detailed level remains underexplored.
- Understanding these familial connections is key to deciphering intergenerational anxiety transmission patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the symptom-level associations between child and parental anxiety.
- To examine these associations within a family context using a network approach.
- To compare symptom relations in families with anxiety-disordered children versus those with other psychiatric diagnoses.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a network approach to analyze anxiety symptom relations.
- Collected data from 1,452 clinically referred children and their parents via questionnaires.
- Compared symptom interrelations between parents and children in families with anxiety disorders versus other psychopathologies.
Main Results:
- Intra-individual anxiety symptom relations were more interconnected than inter-individual ones.
- Specific intergenerational anxiety relations were observed, particularly among similar symptoms.
- The symptom of feeling fearful emerged as a central, connecting factor across all family members.
- Parent-child anxiety symptom relations were more specific in families with anxiety-disordered children.
Conclusions:
- Anxiety symptom associations are demonstrably present within families at a granular, symptom-specific level.
- These findings underscore the need for further research into the mechanisms driving family-anxiety transmission.
- The study emphasizes the importance of considering the family unit in understanding and treating childhood anxiety.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
03:34Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
43.5K
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.
43.5K
01:14Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development
636
The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
636
01:27Horney's Sociocultural Approach
549
Karen Horney's psychoanalytic theories emphasize the potential for self-realization and the importance of addressing social and cultural, rather than biological, factors in personality development. She challenged traditional Freudian views, particularly Freud's concept of "penis envy," which she argued stemmed from cultural influences rather than inherent biological differences. Horney believed that any sense of inferiority in women was a result of societal conditioning, such as...
549
01:28Social Anxiety Disorder
35
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.
35
01:20Attachment
65
Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that...
65
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
57
Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Primary Temperament Types
57