Which Perspective Really Matters and the Role of Gender in the Relationship Between Parental Emotional Suppression and a Child’s Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are prevalent worldwide and tend to run in families. Parents’ suppression of emotions affects the child’s emotional development and mental health through different pathways. However, due to social desirability bias, parents and children may differ in their reports of parental emotional suppression. This study investigated which report of parental emotional suppression is a stronger predictor of a child’s anxiety. Additionally, the mother- child and father-child interactions seem to differ in effects on the child’s emotional development. Thus, it was explored whether mother-reported or father-reported suppression of emotions has a stronger link with the child’s anxiety symptoms. This study used a correlational cross-sectional design. In total, 187 child-parent dyads were included. Both children and parents had to fill out the online versions of the Affective Style Questionnaire regarding parental suppression and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotion Disorders...Show moreAnxiety disorders are prevalent worldwide and tend to run in families. Parents’ suppression of emotions affects the child’s emotional development and mental health through different pathways. However, due to social desirability bias, parents and children may differ in their reports of parental emotional suppression. This study investigated which report of parental emotional suppression is a stronger predictor of a child’s anxiety. Additionally, the mother- child and father-child interactions seem to differ in effects on the child’s emotional development. Thus, it was explored whether mother-reported or father-reported suppression of emotions has a stronger link with the child’s anxiety symptoms. This study used a correlational cross-sectional design. In total, 187 child-parent dyads were included. Both children and parents had to fill out the online versions of the Affective Style Questionnaire regarding parental suppression and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotion Disorders. Data was analysed using Pearson’s correlations and by comparing the Fisher’s z effect scores. The correlations were non-significant for the parent-report of emotional suppression and the child’s anxiety and both for the fathers and mothers. However, there was a significant relationship between the child-report of parental emotional suppression and the child’s anxiety. These results unfold the complexity of this matter as children’s gender, age or clinical level of anxiety may explain the null findings. The correlational design was the primary limitation. Future research should further investigate the effects of children’s gender and culture in this relationship to gain a deeper understanding.Show less

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Which Perspective Really Matters and the Role of Gender in the Relationship Between Parental Emotional Suppression and a Child’s Anxiety