II
The Role of Parental Rearing Styles Perception in
Third Cycle Adolescents' Anxiety Symptoms
'NITIIIJTO SUPEtiOI
~IGUEL
TORGA
V. Azevedo1 , S Sim6es1 , M. Marqu es 1 , M. Cu n h a1 , H. Esplrito-Santo2
1 1n stitu to Superior Migu el Torga,
2 CEPESE/Centro de lnvest1gac;ao e Desenvolvimento, In st1tuto Su pen or M1gu el Torga,
Co1 mbra, Portugal
Introduction
Results
The literature highlights the Importance of the tmpact
of parental behavior on the development of anxiety
in children and adolescents. The aim of this study
was to analyze the role that the adolescents'
perception about parental rearing styles have on the
manifestation of anxiety symptoms.
Results suggest that older adolescents (14-15 years)
showed
greater anxiety
symptoms,
significant
regarding, 1n particular, state anxiety. The young
people with more academic failure externalize more
trait anxiety and perceive higher levels of mother's
overprotection and reJectton from father and mother.
Adolescents who have a father with lowest educational
level perceive greater maternal rejection Moreover,
adolescents of mothers with less qualification perceive
greater mothers' overprotection and father's rejection.
There was an association between paternal rejectton
and higher levels of anxiety symptoms.
The predictive model confirms that parental rejection,
together with the adolescent's age, are significant
predictors of anxiety symptoms Speciftcally, parental
rejection is evidenced as the best predictor of anxiety
symptoms, being primanly responsible for the
manifestation of anxiety in adolescents
Materials and Methods
Partiei pa.n ts
Table 1: Correlation between parenta I reanng styles
and anxiety symptoms
Diroen-
Emo-
Emo-
Owr-
Owr-
R.ejec-
$iOD$
tional
suport
tional
suport
protection
protection
tion
tion
fither
mo11ler
ttther
mo11ler
fither
mo11ler
-o,.zw•
. 0,117
0,198
0,.217'
O,.JIJU
0,.182'
Ttart
anxiety
-O,.~!f"
-0,.~2"
O,ZGf•
0,216''"
0,-IM..
0,311}''"
Totel
-0,.293..
-0,217'
o,mu
0,2:92'•
o,w•
o,w•
st~e
R.ejec-
anxiety
Measures
anxiety
• Sociodemographic Questionnaire
Pearson Coefflcient('p < 0,05, ** p < 0,01)
• State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC;
M atias, 2004)
• A Parental Rearing Style Questionnaire for use
with Adolescents (EM BU-A; Lacerda, 2005)
Conclusions
These resu Its suggest that father's rejection
generates high levels of anxiety symptoms. Thus,
rejection ts the paternal parental rearing style that
has more influence on the manifestation of anxtety tn
adolescents, tnggering high levels of anxiety
References
Gn:.iner, K, Muris, P, & Merckelbach, H. (1999) The relationship
between anxious rearing behaviours and anxiety disorders
symptomatology in normal children. Journal of Behavbr Therapy
and£xperimenla!Psychiai11J, 30, 27-35.
Lacerda, M. I. M. C (2005) A perceq&o das praticas parentais
pelos adolescentes.· i~¥Jiicaqaes na perceqao de controlo e nas
estrateg~as de copirg. Tese de mestrado nao publicada,
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
Malias, M C 8 (2004) Afenq&o do stale-trail anxiety invento/1jfor
children (STAIC} de SP!eiberger par& a popu!:lqao portuguesa
Dissertagao de doutoramento nao publicada, Universidad de
Extremadura, Badajoz, Espana.