Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

The relationship between parent and child anxiety is well established. One factor that may account for this relationship is family accommodation (how family members alter their behavior to alleviate child distress). Family accommodation has been studied in child anxiety for the past decade and has been linked to increased parent and child anxiety. However, little research has focused on a young sample without clinical elevations of anxiety. Acknowledging the impact of family accommodation on child anxiety, the strong link between parent anxiety and accommodation, and the importance of early intervention, this study aimed to expand the literature of family accommodation to a community-based, early childhood population. Data was collected from 98 caregivers of children aged 2.5-6.5. Parent participants were predominantly white (93.9%) and female (89.8%). Parents who were recruited through pediatric clinics, childcare facilities, and online parenting groups completed an online survey that included measures of family accommodation, their own anxiety, and their child’s anxiety. Data was analyzed through a linear multiple regression and tests of indirect effects. It was hypothesized that parent anxiety would account for more variance in family accommodation than child anxiety would. It was also hypothesized that there would be positive relationships between (1) parent anxiety and child anxiety, (2) parent anxiety and family accommodation, and (3) family accommodation and child anxiety and that family accommodation would mediate the effects of parent anxiety on child anxiety. The results supported evidence of significant, positive relationships between (1) parent and child anxiety, (2) parent anxiety and family accommodation, and (3) family accommodation and child anxiety. The results also supported the hypothesis that parent anxiety may have an indirect effect on child anxiety through its effects on family accommodation. However, inconsistent with hypotheses, child anxiety accounted for more variance in family accommodation than parent anxiety did. These findings expand the current literature, giving evidence for significant impacts of family accommodation on child anxiety in an early childhood, community sample and calling for further examination of family accommodation for both causal theories of child anxiety and as a potential target of early intervention to prevent children from developing anxiety disorders.

Date

6-18-2025

Committee Chair

Frick, Paul

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.6822

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