Intergenerational Transmission of Social Anxiety in Childhood Through Fear of Negative Child Evaluation and Parenting

Abstract Background Parents’ fear of negative evaluation (FNE) has been proposed to play a role in the intergenerational transmission social anxiety. We investigated whether (1) parents’ own FNE, core belief anxiety, extends their child’s environment resulting child (FNCE); and (2) FNCE mediates association between parenting behavior children’s Methods In this cross-sectional study, fathers ( n = 84) mothers 92) from 99 Caucasian families completed questionnaires on FNCE, (intrusiveness, encouragement daring) when was 7.5 years old. Child anxiety measured by (child parent report). Results For both parents, FNE mediated FNCE. Furthermore, relation intrusiveness mothers’ parenting. addition, fathers’ (parents’ report only) directly through intrusive Conclusions Our study suggests that provides support for various pathways during middle childhood.