Parental changes after involvement in their anxious child's cognitive behavior therapy

TY - JOUR

T1 - Parental changes after involvement in their anxious child's cognitive behavior therapy

AU - Esbjørn, Barbara Hoff

AU - Sømhovd, Mikael Julius

AU - Nielsen, Sara Kerstine

AU - Normann, Nicoline

AU - Leth, Ingrid

AU - Reinholdt-Dunne, Marie Louise

N1 - Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PY - 2014/10

Y1 - 2014/10

N2 - OBJECTIVE: Specific parental behaviors and cognitions are associated with child anxiety. Studies informing us of the directionality of the associations are lacking. We investigated the effect of parental involvement in children's anxiety treatment on parental behaviors and cognitions.METHOD: Children (N=54, 7-12 years) and parents were randomly allocated to different treatment groups (involved, not involved). Observed behavior, self-reported behavior and cognitions were assessed separately for mothers and fathers at pre-, posttreatment and follow-up.RESULTS: There were no differences over time for self-reported parental efficacy and observed negativity, but self-reported autonomy granting increased for both groups over time. Differential effects were found between groups for observed paternal over-involvement (fathers involved in treatment showed a more rapid decrease) and self-reported maternal autonomy-granting (non-involved mothers showed a greater increase).CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that child anxiety significantly influences parental behaviors and cognitions. Child therapy may successfully change the family system.

AB - OBJECTIVE: Specific parental behaviors and cognitions are associated with child anxiety. Studies informing us of the directionality of the associations are lacking. We investigated the effect of parental involvement in children's anxiety treatment on parental behaviors and cognitions.METHOD: Children (N=54, 7-12 years) and parents were randomly allocated to different treatment groups (involved, not involved). Observed behavior, self-reported behavior and cognitions were assessed separately for mothers and fathers at pre-, posttreatment and follow-up.RESULTS: There were no differences over time for self-reported parental efficacy and observed negativity, but self-reported autonomy granting increased for both groups over time. Differential effects were found between groups for observed paternal over-involvement (fathers involved in treatment showed a more rapid decrease) and self-reported maternal autonomy-granting (non-involved mothers showed a greater increase).CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that child anxiety significantly influences parental behaviors and cognitions. Child therapy may successfully change the family system.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Analysis of Variance

KW - Anxiety Disorders

KW - Child

KW - Child Rearing

KW - Cognition

KW - Cognitive Therapy

KW - Family Therapy

KW - Fathers

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Mothers

KW - Parent-Child Relations

KW - Parenting

U2 - 10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.07.008

DO - 10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.07.008

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25124503

SN - 0887-6185

VL - 28

SP - 664

EP - 670

JO - Journal of Anxiety Disorders

JF - Journal of Anxiety Disorders

IS - 7

ER -