Parent Interactions with Anxious Children (1 CE)

Number of Credits: 1

This course is for: Clinical Psychologists, Counselors, and Marriage & Family Therapists

Course By: Ken Springer, PhD

Content By: Van der Giessen, D., & Bögels, S. M. (2018). Father-child and mother-child interactions with children with anxiety disorders: Emotional expressivity and flexibility of dyads. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 46, 331-342.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-017-0271-z

Course Description: Difficulties in emotion regulation can be observed during parent interactions with children who have an anxiety disorder (AD). The present study contributes to knowledge of this topic by examining emotional expressivity and emotional flexibility in dyadic interactions between parents and children with an AD. The researchers videotaped conflict interactions between each parent and child in order to compare the interactions of dyads with versus without AD children, as well as father-child dyads versus mother-child dyads, and parents with versus without an AD. The researchers found less emotional flexibility among dyads with an AD child as compared to dyads with no AD child, but no differences between these groups in emotional expressivity. More emotional expressivity and less emotional flexibility were observed in mother-child dyads in which both the mother and the child had an AD. These and other findings have clinical implications for interventions that address the emotional qualities of dyadic interactions between parents and children.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the background for the study and the observational methods of data collection
2. Describe the main findings of the study concerning emotional processes in dyadic interactions between parents and children with an AD
3. Integrate the strengths and limitations of the study, and summarize the clinical implications for supporting positive interactions between parents and children with an AD

Course Outline:

• Read and understand Father-child and mother-child interactions with children with anxiety disorders: Emotional expressivity and flexibility of dyads
• Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
• Understand the main findings from prior research on emotion regulation difficulties during parental interactions with children who have an AD
• Understand how dyadic interactions were created and coded in this study, as well as how other variables were measured
• Analyze the differences in emotional processes observed in dyadic interactions that included AD versus non-AD children
• Integrate the study's key findings, strengths, limitations, and practical implications
• Work through the post-test questions, using the article as the sole basis for your answers
• Revisit the article for any missed questions and/or to better understand emotional processes in dyadic interactions between parents and children with an AD

Approvals: