Understanding how parents' anxiety affects their children's anxiety

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This study investigates the role of parents' interpretation bias in transmitting anxiety to their children, focusing on how parents perceive threats in ambiguous situations. It aims to identify specific mechanisms that contribute to the intergenerational transmission of anxiety, which is crucial for developing personalized treatment strategies. The study will involve parent participants who meet certain anxiety criteria and their children aged 7 to 12, utilizing interventions like HabitWorks and self-assessment tools to gather data. By exploring these dynamics, the research seeks to inform novel intervention targets for treating anxiety in children.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion criteria for parent participants are:

1. Must have an ability to speak and understand English sufficiently to complete assessments
2. At least minimal anxiety severity (GAD-7 score \> 5)
3. At least a minimal level of interpretation bias (WSAP overall accuracy less than 70%)
4. No current psychiatric symptoms that would interfere with the individual's ability to provide consent or complete the research procedures
5. If receiving treatment, stable on medications or psychotherapy for 8 weeks
6. No severe suicidal ideation (PHQ-9 item 9 \> 1)
7. Own iOS or Android smartphone
8. Shared or full custody of child (for EMA assessment of parenting behaviors)

Inclusion criteria for child participants are:

1. Age 7 to 12
2. Must have an ability to speak and understand English sufficiently to complete assessments
3. No diagnosis of intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder (per parent or clinician report)
4. No current psychiatric symptoms that would prevent informed consent or understanding of research procedures
5. Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) full-scale IQ equal to or greater than 80 to ensure understanding of study procedures
6. If receiving treatment, stable on medications or psychotherapy for 8 weeks
7. No severe suicidal ideation (PHQ-9 item 9 \> 1)

Where it's running

• McLean Hospital
  Belmont, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Courtney Beard, PhD — Mclean Hospital
• Study coordinator: Courtney Beard, PhD
• Email: cbeard@mclean.harvard.edu
• Phone: 617-855-3557

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.