Maternal control behavior and locus of control: examining mechanisms in the relation between maternal anxiety disorders and anxiety symptomatology in children - PubMed (original) (raw)

Maternal control behavior and locus of control: examining mechanisms in the relation between maternal anxiety disorders and anxiety symptomatology in children

Kimberly D Becker et al. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2010 May.

Abstract

This study tested components of a proposed model of child anxiety and examined the mediational roles of (1) maternal control behavior, (2) maternal external locus of control, and (3) child external locus of control in the association between maternal and child anxiety. Thirty-eight clinically anxious mothers and 37 nonanxious mothers participated along with one of their children aged 6 to 14 (52.0% female; 78.7% Caucasian). Path analysis indicated that the overall model fit the data very well. Analyses also indicated that child external locus of control mediated the associations between (1) maternal and child anxiety and (2) maternal control behavior and child anxiety. Maternal anxiety was not related to maternal control behavior and maternal external locus of control was not associated with child anxiety. Findings are discussed in the context of theoretical models (e.g., Chorpita and Barlow 1998) regarding the transmission of maternal anxiety to their children and the specific roles of maternal behavior and child locus of control.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Empirical model: Influence of maternal control behavior, maternal external locus of control, and child external locus of control on the association between maternal and child anxiety. Note. Solid lines represent significant associations, *p<0.05

References

    1. Ackerman L, Ackerman P. Generational differences and parent-child resemblance in achievement motives and locus of control: a cross-sectional analysis. Personality and Individual Differences. 1989;10:1237–1242.
    1. Ballash N, Leyfer O, Buckley A, Woodruff-Borden J. Parental control in the etiology of anxiety. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review. 2006;9:113–133. -PubMed
    1. Ballash N, Pemble M, Usui W, Buckley A, Woodruff-Borden J. Family functioning, perceived control, and anxiety: a meditational model. Anxiety Disorders. 2006;20:486–497. -PubMed
    1. Beekman A, de Beurs E, van Balkom A, Deeg D, van Dyck R, van Tilburg W. Anxiety and depression in later life: co-occurrence and communality of risk factors. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2000;157:89–95. -PubMed
    1. Beidel D, Turner S. At risk for anxiety: I. Psychopathology in the offspring of anxious parents. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 1997;37:918–924. -PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources