Understanding the processes underlying the intergenerational transmission of anxiety

The previous findings revealed that having a parent who suffers from a high level of anxiety is a serious risk factor for anxiety-related disorder during young adulthood. This is an example of intergenerational transmission of anxiety. Both genetic and environmental factors have significant roles in this transmission. The present study aimed to investigate the processes underlying the intergenerational transmission of anxiety; especially by focusing on parenting styles and self-construal. First, whether certain parenting styles (i.e., overprotection, worrying parenting, perfectionistic parenting, and punitive parenting) would mediate the relationship between maternal and young adult anxiety were investigated. Furthermore, whether one's self-construal (i.e., level of autonomous-related self) would be a protective factor in this transmission was tested. 140 dyads of mothers and young adults participated in the online survey. Young adults filled out The State-Trait Anxiety Scale, Young Parenting Inventory, and The Autonomous-Related Self Scale. Then, mothers filled out only The State-Trait Anxiety Scale via the link which was sent to their e-mail addresses. Moderated-mediation analyses demonstrated that overprotection, worrying parenting, perfectionistic parenting, and punitive parenting all mediated the link between parental anxiety and young adults' anxiety. However, self-construal did not moderate this mediation. The results were discussed concerning family systems and self-construal perspectives.