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The Impact of Parents' Expectations on Parenting Behaviour: An Experimental Investigation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2008

Cathy Creswell ,
Thomas G. O'Connor  and
Chris R. Brewin
Cathy Creswell*
Affiliation:
University of Reading, UK
Thomas G. O'Connor
Affiliation:
University of Rochester Medical Center, USA
Chris R. Brewin
Affiliation:
University College London, UK
*
Reprint requests to Cathy Creswell, School of Psychology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AL, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Over-involved parenting is commonly hypothesized to be a risk factor for the development of anxiety disorders in childhood. This parenting style may result from parental attempts to prevent child distress based on expectations that the child will be unable to cope in a challenging situation. Naturalistic studies are limited in their ability to disentangle the overlapping contribution of child and parent factors in driving parental behaviours. To overcome this difficulty, an experimental study was conducted in which parental expectations of child distress were manipulated and the effects on parent behaviour and child mood were assessed. Fifty-two children (aged 7 – 11 years) and their primary caregiver participated. Parents were allocated to either a “positive” or a “negative” expectation group. Observations were made of the children and their parents interacting whilst completing a difficult anagram task. Parents given negative expectations of their child's response displayed higher levels of involvement. No differences were found on indices of child mood and behaviour and possible explanations for this are considered. The findings are consistent with suggestions that increased parental involvement may be a “natural” reaction to enhanced perceptions of child vulnerability and an attempt to avoid child distress.

Keywords

Parentscognitionsexpectationsbehaviourover-involvement
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 36 , Issue 4: Anxiety of Childhood and Adolescence , July 2008 , pp. 483 - 490
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2008

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