Keywords

Anxiety, parenting, learning, modeling, Hispanics

Abstract

The high prevalence rate, significant distress and impairment, and persistence of childhood anxiety disorders highlight the need for continued theoretical conceptualization and research into the developmental pathways associated these disorders. In response to this need, one goal this project was to examination and identify variables associated with the development and/or maintenance of child anxiety disorders. A second goal of this project was to examine the potential role of learning from parents as a risk factor in the development of child anxiety, with a particular emphasis on three learning mechanisms: modeling, information transfer, and reinforcement of anxious behaviors. The third goal of this project was to compare and contrast the developmental predictors of anxiety in White versus Hispanic samples. Data was collected from a sample of mothers in the community with at least one child between the ages of 6 and 12, and an unrelated sample of young adults. Significant predictors of anxiety were identified in both samples, and the hypothesis that anxiety may, in part, be learned from parents was supported in both samples. In addition, results indicated different sets of predictors of anxiety in White versus Hispanic participants. Limitations and implications of the findings are discussed.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2006

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Negy, Charles

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree Program

Psychology

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0001261

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0001261

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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Included in

Psychology Commons

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