Intergenerational Transmission of Social Anxiety: The Role of Parents’ Fear of Negative Child Evaluation and Their Self-Referent and Child-Referent Interpretation Biases

Melis Dülger; Bram Van Bockstaele; Mirjana Majdandžić; Wieke de Vente

doi:10.1007/s10608-024-10490-0

Intergenerational Transmission of Social Anxiety: The Role of Parents’ Fear of Negative Child Evaluation and Their Self-Referent and Child-Referent Interpretation Biases

Melis Dülger^*
, Bram Van Bockstaele
, Mirjana Majdandžić
, Wieke de Vente

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Purpose
Parents’ fear of negative evaluation (FNE), fear of negative child evaluation (FNCE; parents’ fear that their child is evaluated negatively by others), and self- and child-referent negative interpretation biases have been proposed to play a role in the intergenerational transmission of social anxiety. In this cross-sectional study, we tested whether parents’ self-reported FNE and self-referent interpretation bias, as well as their FNCE and child-referent interpretation bias, statistically mediated the relationship between parent social anxiety and parent-reported child social anxiety.

Methods
A total of 179 parents of 13–16-year-old adolescents completed questionnaires concerning own social anxiety, their FNE, and FNCE and their child’s social anxiety. Parents’ self- and child-referent interpretation biases were measured using scenario completion and memory recognition tasks.

Results
Parents’ FNCE partially statistically mediated the relationship between parent and child social anxiety. Parents’ FNE and their self- and child-referent interpretation biases did, however, not statistically mediate this relationship.

Conclusions
Parents’ FNCE does, but their FNE and self- and child-referent interpretation biases do not seem to play a role in the intergenerational transmission of social anxiety. Hence, parents’ FNCE might be a promising target for clinical practice while designing therapies and interventions concerning child social anxiety.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	957-973
Number of pages	17
Journal	Cognitive Therapy and Research
Volume	48
Issue number	5
Early online date	9 May 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-024-10490-0
Publication status	Published - Oct 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.

Funding

This study was supported by the Research Institute of Child Development and Education of the University of Amsterdam. Melis D\u00FClger currently works on a doctoral research project at Utrecht University, funded by a grant from the Netherlands Initiative for Educational Research (NRO), with a grant number 40.5.20300.009.

Funders	Funder number
Research Institute of Child Development and Education of the University of Amsterdam
Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek	40.5.20300.009

Keywords

Fear of Negative Child Evaluation
Fear of Negative Evaluation
Interpretation bias
Parents
Social Anxiety

Access to Document

10.1007/s10608-024-10490-0Licence: CC BY

s10608-024-10490-0Final published version, 1.64 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{f0e8ab206ffc4c40b68e76d0da1cf452,

title = "Intergenerational Transmission of Social Anxiety: The Role of Parents{\textquoteright} Fear of Negative Child Evaluation and Their Self-Referent and Child-Referent Interpretation Biases",

abstract = "Purpose Parents{\textquoteright} fear of negative evaluation (FNE), fear of negative child evaluation (FNCE; parents{\textquoteright} fear that their child is evaluated negatively by others), and self- and child-referent negative interpretation biases have been proposed to play a role in the intergenerational transmission of social anxiety. In this cross-sectional study, we tested whether parents{\textquoteright} self-reported FNE and self-referent interpretation bias, as well as their FNCE and child-referent interpretation bias, statistically mediated the relationship between parent social anxiety and parent-reported child social anxiety. Methods A total of 179 parents of 13–16-year-old adolescents completed questionnaires concerning own social anxiety, their FNE, and FNCE and their child{\textquoteright}s social anxiety. Parents{\textquoteright} self- and child-referent interpretation biases were measured using scenario completion and memory recognition tasks. Results Parents{\textquoteright} FNCE partially statistically mediated the relationship between parent and child social anxiety. Parents{\textquoteright} FNE and their self- and child-referent interpretation biases did, however, not statistically mediate this relationship. Conclusions Parents{\textquoteright} FNCE does, but their FNE and self- and child-referent interpretation biases do not seem to play a role in the intergenerational transmission of social anxiety. Hence, parents{\textquoteright} FNCE might be a promising target for clinical practice while designing therapies and interventions concerning child social anxiety.",

keywords = "Fear of Negative Child Evaluation, Fear of Negative Evaluation, Interpretation bias, Parents, Social Anxiety",

author = "Melis D{\"u}lger and Bockstaele, \{Bram Van\} and Mirjana Majdand{\v z}i{\'c} and Vente, \{Wieke de\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2024.",

year = "2024",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1007/s10608-024-10490-0",

language = "English",

volume = "48",

pages = "957--973",

journal = "Cognitive Therapy and Research",

issn = "0147-5916",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "5",

}

Intergenerational Transmission of Social Anxiety: The Role of Parents’ Fear of Negative Child Evaluation and Their Self-Referent and Child-Referent Interpretation Biases. / Dülger, Melis; Bockstaele, Bram Van; Majdandžić, Mirjana et al.
In: Cognitive Therapy and Research, Vol. 48, No. 5, 10.2024, p. 957-973.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Intergenerational Transmission of Social Anxiety: The Role of Parents’ Fear of Negative Child Evaluation and Their Self-Referent and Child-Referent Interpretation Biases

AU - Dülger, Melis

AU - Bockstaele, Bram Van

AU - Majdandžić, Mirjana

AU - Vente, Wieke de

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

PY - 2024/10

Y1 - 2024/10

N2 - Purpose Parents’ fear of negative evaluation (FNE), fear of negative child evaluation (FNCE; parents’ fear that their child is evaluated negatively by others), and self- and child-referent negative interpretation biases have been proposed to play a role in the intergenerational transmission of social anxiety. In this cross-sectional study, we tested whether parents’ self-reported FNE and self-referent interpretation bias, as well as their FNCE and child-referent interpretation bias, statistically mediated the relationship between parent social anxiety and parent-reported child social anxiety. Methods A total of 179 parents of 13–16-year-old adolescents completed questionnaires concerning own social anxiety, their FNE, and FNCE and their child’s social anxiety. Parents’ self- and child-referent interpretation biases were measured using scenario completion and memory recognition tasks. Results Parents’ FNCE partially statistically mediated the relationship between parent and child social anxiety. Parents’ FNE and their self- and child-referent interpretation biases did, however, not statistically mediate this relationship. Conclusions Parents’ FNCE does, but their FNE and self- and child-referent interpretation biases do not seem to play a role in the intergenerational transmission of social anxiety. Hence, parents’ FNCE might be a promising target for clinical practice while designing therapies and interventions concerning child social anxiety.

AB - Purpose Parents’ fear of negative evaluation (FNE), fear of negative child evaluation (FNCE; parents’ fear that their child is evaluated negatively by others), and self- and child-referent negative interpretation biases have been proposed to play a role in the intergenerational transmission of social anxiety. In this cross-sectional study, we tested whether parents’ self-reported FNE and self-referent interpretation bias, as well as their FNCE and child-referent interpretation bias, statistically mediated the relationship between parent social anxiety and parent-reported child social anxiety. Methods A total of 179 parents of 13–16-year-old adolescents completed questionnaires concerning own social anxiety, their FNE, and FNCE and their child’s social anxiety. Parents’ self- and child-referent interpretation biases were measured using scenario completion and memory recognition tasks. Results Parents’ FNCE partially statistically mediated the relationship between parent and child social anxiety. Parents’ FNE and their self- and child-referent interpretation biases did, however, not statistically mediate this relationship. Conclusions Parents’ FNCE does, but their FNE and self- and child-referent interpretation biases do not seem to play a role in the intergenerational transmission of social anxiety. Hence, parents’ FNCE might be a promising target for clinical practice while designing therapies and interventions concerning child social anxiety.

KW - Fear of Negative Child Evaluation

KW - Fear of Negative Evaluation

KW - Interpretation bias

KW - Parents

KW - Social Anxiety

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85192500091

U2 - 10.1007/s10608-024-10490-0

DO - 10.1007/s10608-024-10490-0

M3 - Article

SN - 0147-5916

VL - 48

SP - 957

EP - 973

JO - Cognitive Therapy and Research

JF - Cognitive Therapy and Research

IS - 5

ER -

Intergenerational Transmission of Social Anxiety: The Role of Parents’ Fear of Negative Child Evaluation and Their Self-Referent and Child-Referent Interpretation Biases

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this