Understanding how parents' anxiety affects their children's anxiety

Parent Interpretation Bias as a Key Mechanism of Intergenerational Transmission of Anxiety

This study is trying to see how parents' worries affect their kids' anxiety and whether changing how parents think about threats can help improve their children's mental health.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 300 (estimated)
• Ages: 7 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Mclean Hospital (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Belmont, Massachusetts)
• Trial ID: NCT05665491 on ClinicalTrials.gov

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.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include parents with anxiety who have shared or full custody of a child aged 7 to 12 and meet specific anxiety and interpretation bias criteria.

Not a fit: Patients who do not have anxiety or whose children have intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to more effective, personalized treatments for children suffering from anxiety by addressing the underlying parental influences.

How similar studies have performed: While the specific focus on parent interpretation bias is novel, existing research has shown that parental anxiety significantly impacts child anxiety, suggesting potential for success in this area.

Eligibility criteria

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 this trial is running

Belmont, Massachusetts

• McLean Hospital — Belmont, Massachusetts, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Courtney Beard, PhD — Mclean Hospital
• Study coordinator: Courtney Beard, PhD

Conditions Anxiety