A replication study to evaluate parental internalizing symptoms as predictors of anxiety symptoms

Parental internalizing symptoms have been linked to children’s anxiety symptoms, but findings on the differential influence of mothers and fathers symptoms are mixed. The current study aims to replicate and extend previous findings by examining the role of parental internalizing symptoms in older youth with a broader range of anxiety disorders. Youth aged 12 to 18 years (Mage = 15.3 years, SD = 1.3, 76.5% female) with anxiety disorders were recruited from two community health clinics. Before receiving the intervention, the youth (n = 90), mothers (n = 79), and father (n = 50) reported the youth’s anxiety symptoms, while parents also reported their own internalizing symptoms. Multiple regression models examined parental internalizing symptoms as predictors of youth anxiety symptoms. Neither father- nor mother-rated internalizing symptoms predicted youths self-rated anxiety symptoms (adj. R2 = 0.05), failing to replicate findings from previous research. However, in line with previous research, maternal internalizing symptoms did predict mother-rated child anxiety symptoms (adj. R2 = 0.23). The findings suggest that for older youth, the parents perception of youth anxiety may be shaped by their own internalizing symptoms. For clinicians, this highlights the importance of multiple informants and not over-relying on parental ratings when working with older youth.