Child Perceived Parenting Behavior: Childhood Anxiety and Related Symptoms

Youth ages 7-14 (N=175; 52.6% male) and parents were evaluated. Father's and mother's acceptance, psychological control, and firm/behavioral control were measured. Children were diagnosed, and self-, parent-, and teacher-reports were gathered. Children with anxiety disorders perceived higher parental control than children without. Regressions found child-reported maternal acceptance was associated with lower child anxiety, depression, and externalizing, whereas psychological control predicted higher symptoms. Child-reported depressive symptoms moderated the maternal psychological control and children's anxiety relationship (the relationship was weaker for anxious children with more depressive symptoms). Findings support that children's perception of parenting behavior is associated with anxiety.