Date of Graduation
2000
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
Committee Chair
Tracy L. Morris
Abstract
To date, research investigating parental influences contributing to the development of social anxiety has focused on maternal characteristics and the mother-child relationship. The role of fathers in the development of childhood-onset psychopathology has received relative inattention (e.g., Phares, 1996) and remains virtually unexplored within the realm of social anxiety. This study focused on identifying both maternal and paternal factors that may impact the development and maintenance of social anxiety experienced by school-aged children. Forty-eight (22 high socially anxious, 26 low socially anxious) children and their fathers completed self-report questionnaires, and father-child interactions during a ten-minute challenging task were conducted. Consistent with previous research, relationships between child and parent self-report data were found, and fathers of the high socially anxious children exhibited more restrictive and rejecting behavior than fathers of the low socially anxious children. Past research, coupled with the current findings, suggest that it is imperative for researchers to identify potential risk factors, such as parental psychopathology and impaired parent-child interactions, that may contribute to the development and maintenance of social and performance fears in childhood.
Recommended Citation
Greco, Laurie Ann, "Dads do matter: Relationship between father-child interaction and child social anxiety." (2000). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 10502.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/10502