title: Parental overprotection and metacognitions as predictors of worry and anxiety.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parental overprotection may have a direct effect on worry through hindering children's exploration experiences and preventing the learning of action-oriented coping strategies (Cheron, Ehrenreich and Pincus, 2009; Nolen-Hoeksema, Wolfson, Mumme and Guskin, 1995) and an indirect effect through fostering the development of maladaptive metacognitions that are associated with the activation of worry and the escalation of anxiety (Wells, 2000).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to investigate the relative contribution of recalled parental overprotection in childhood and metacognitions in predicting current levels of worry.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community sample (n = 301) was administered four self-report instruments to assess parental overprotection, metacognitions, anxiety and worry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Metacognitions were found to predict levels of worry independently of gender, anxiety and parental overprotection. They were also found to predict anxiety independently of gender, worry and parental overprotection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of a family environment perceived to be characterized by overprotection and high levels of maladaptive metacognitions are a risk factor for the development of worry.
authors: London South Bank University and North East London NHS Foundation Trust, UK. spadam@lsbu.ac.uk
authors: Marcantonio M
authors: MM
authors: Spada
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Caselli
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Manfredi
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Rebecchi
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Rovetto
authors: Giovanni M
authors: GM
authors: Ruggiero
authors: Ana V
authors: AV
authors: Nikčević
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Sassaroli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D055815:Young Adult