Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications
Publication Date
9-1-2023
Journal
Journal of Clinical Psychology
DOI
10.1002/jclp.23516
PMID
36971223
PMCID
PMC10440255
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
9-1-2024
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Author MSS
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Adult, Humans, Child, Female, Adolescent, Male, Cross-Sectional Studies, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Parenting, Parents, Stress, Psychological, anxiety, emerging adulthood, young adulthood, parenting behaviors, self-efficacy, perceived helplessness
Abstract
Background: Although childhood exposure to parental threatening behaviors is associated with elevated anxiety in emerging adulthood, the underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. Perceived stress-a subjective experience comprised of feelings of helplessness (being unable to cope or exert control) and poor self-efficacy (confidence in one's ability to manage stressors)-is one candidate mechanism. The present investigation examined the underlying role of perceived stress in the association between childhood exposure to parental threatening behaviors and anxiety symptom severity in a sample of emerging adults.
Methods: Participants (N = 855; Mage = 18.75 years, SD = 1.05, range 18-24; 70.8% female) were recruited from a large state university and administered a battery of self-report questionnaires assessing constructs of interest.
Results: Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses indicated that only greater childhood exposure to maternal threatening behaviors was directly associated with greater feelings of helplessness and lower self-efficacy. Furthermore, only childhood exposure to maternal threatening behaviors was indirectly associated with anxiety severity through greater feelings of helplessness and lower self-efficacy. In contrast, childhood exposure to paternal threatening behaviors was neither directly nor indirectly associated with anxiety severity.
Limitations: Limitations include a cross-sectional design, use of self-report measures, and a nonclinical sample. Replicating these findings in a clinical sample and testing the hypothesized model in a longitudinal design is necessary.
Conclusions: Findings underscore the need for intervention efforts that screen for and target perceived stress in emerging adults exposed to negative maternal parenting behaviors.