The role of parental fearfulness and modeling in children's fear

Muris, Peter; Steerneman, Pim; Merckelbach, Harald; Meesters, Cor

doi:10.1016/0005-7967(95)00067-4

Cited by 228Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesCrime Patterns and Interventions

The role of parental fearfulness and modeling in children's fear

Muris, Peter, Steerneman, Pim, Merckelbach, Harald, Meesters, Cor·1996·Behaviour Research and Therapy

DOI 10.1016/0005-7967(95)00067-4

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Abstract

The present study investigated the contribution of parental modeling to the fearfulness of children. Forty children (aged 9-12) who were referred to an outpatient treatment centre filled out the trait version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) and the revised version of the Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC). The parents of the children completed adult versions of the STAI-trait and the FSS. In addition, parents rated to what extent they generally expressed fears to their children. Results showed that trait anxiety in children was positively associated with trait anxiety of both the mother (r = 0.34, P < 0.05) and the father (r = 0.31, P < 0.05). Fearfulness of the children was only related to fearfulness of the mother (r = 0.56, P < 0.001). Most importantly, the data showed that modeling played a role in this relationship. A linear association between FSSC scores and mothers' rating of expressing fears to their children was found. That is to say, children of mothers who never expressed their fears had the lowest FSSC scores, children of mothers who often expressed their fears had the highest FSSC scores, whereas children of mothers who sometimes expressed their fears scored in between.

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“Moreover, GL integrates parents throughout treatment as parent responses serve as key guides to a child’s learning of safety and danger, in turn influencing behavior[30; 41].”
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Authors: Muris, P., Steerneman, P., Merckelbach, H., & Meesters, C.
Affiliations: Transnational University Limburg (NL)
Corresponding author: Muris, Peter
ORCID: Muris, Peter
Merckelbach, Harald
Meesters, Cor
Venue: Behaviour Research and Therapy
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 1996-03
Volume: 34
Issue: 3
Pages: 265-268
ISSN: 0005-7967 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/0005-7967(95)00067-4
OpenAlex: W2153042751
Cited by: 228
References: 35
Citations by year: 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 13
FWCI: 6.84
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Behaviour Research and Therapy (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
Keywords: parental role modeling, children's fears, trait anxiety, mother-child relationship, parental anxiety
MeSH terms: Anxiety Disorders, Child, Fear, Female, Humans, Imitative Behavior, Male, Mothers, Personality Development, Personality Inventory, Child of Impaired Parents

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The role of parental fearfulness and modeling in children's fear

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