Parent-To-Child transmission of stranger anxiety: The effect of parental verbal anxiety information about strangers on adolescents' stranger fear beliefs

This thesis investigates how verbal transmission of stranger anxiety from parents to children shapes their fear beliefs and explores how parental social anxiety might moderate this effect. Seventy-seven participants between the ages of 10 to 14 and their caregivers were involved in this experimental study. Participants were exposed to conditions involving threat and safety information, assessing the impact of parental verbal expressions. Questionnaires measuring social anxiety and fear beliefs were completed by both parents and children. The study found that parental expressions of threat significantly increased fear beliefs in children compared to safety information. However, parental social anxiety did not significantly moderate this effect, suggesting a complex relationship that deviates from previous assumptions. While parental influence was evident, the expected direct correlation between parental anxiety levels and children their fear beliefs was not supported. These findings...Show moreThis thesis investigates how verbal transmission of stranger anxiety from parents to children shapes their fear beliefs and explores how parental social anxiety might moderate this effect. Seventy-seven participants between the ages of 10 to 14 and their caregivers were involved in this experimental study. Participants were exposed to conditions involving threat and safety information, assessing the impact of parental verbal expressions. Questionnaires measuring social anxiety and fear beliefs were completed by both parents and children. The study found that parental expressions of threat significantly increased fear beliefs in children compared to safety information. However, parental social anxiety did not significantly moderate this effect, suggesting a complex relationship that deviates from previous assumptions. While parental influence was evident, the expected direct correlation between parental anxiety levels and children their fear beliefs was not supported. These findings highlight the need to examine other aspects of parental influence beyond direct verbal communication. This study underscores the importance of considering various factors in understanding social anxiety transmission, including non-verbal communication and broader familial contexts. The implications for interventions underline the role of parental communication in preventing social anxiety in children, emphasizing strategies that encourage positive communication and effective anxiety management among parents. Overall, this thesis contributes to the understanding of the nuanced interactions between parental social anxiety, verbal transmission and children their fear beliefs.Show less

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Parent-To-Child transmission of stranger anxiety: The effect of parental verbal anxiety information about strangers on adolescents' stranger fear beliefs