title: Parental changes after involvement in their anxious child's cognitive behavior therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Specific parental behaviors and cognitions are associated with child anxiety. Studies informing us of the directionality of the associations are lacking. We investigated the effect of parental involvement in children's anxiety treatment on parental behaviors and cognitions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (N=54, 7-12 years) and parents were randomly allocated to different treatment groups (involved, not involved). Observed behavior, self-reported behavior and cognitions were assessed separately for mothers and fathers at pre-, posttreatment and follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences over time for self-reported parental efficacy and observed negativity, but self-reported autonomy granting increased for both groups over time. Differential effects were found between groups for observed paternal over-involvement (fathers involved in treatment showed a more rapid decrease) and self-reported maternal autonomy-granting (non-involved mothers showed a greater increase).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that child anxiety significantly influences parental behaviors and cognitions. Child therapy may successfully change the family system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Electronic address: Barbara.hoff@psy.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Barbara Hoff
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Esbjørn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mikael Julius
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sømhovd
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sara Kerstine
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Nicoline
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Normann
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leth
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Marie Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Reinholdt-Dunne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002668:Child Rearing / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Child anxiety; Cognitive behavior therapy; Parent involvement; Parental behavior; Parental cognitions