Perceived anxiety control as a mediator of the relationship between family stability and adjustment.

Previous research has demonstrated a relationship between the constructs of family stability and adjustment. The present study evaluates perceived anxiety control as a mechanism through which association between family stability and adjustment may operate. It was hypothesized that perceived anxiety control would mediate the relationships between family stability and depression and anxiety. Participants completed the following measures: Stability of Activities in the Family Environment (SAFE), the Anxiety Control Questionnaire (ACQ), the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results of multiple regression analyses largely support a model in which perceived anxiety control mediates the relationship between family stability and both depression and anxiety. Potential ways in which family stability may assist in development of perceived control are discussed.