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Parental Overprotection and Metacognitions as Predictors of Worry and Anxiety

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2011

Marcantonio M. Spada ,
Gabriele Caselli ,
Chiara Manfredi ,
Daniela Rebecchi ,
Francesco Rovetto ,
Giovanni M. Ruggiero ,
Ana V. Nikčević  and
Sandra Sassaroli
Marcantonio M. Spada*
Affiliation:
London South Bank University and North East London NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Gabriele Caselli
Affiliation:
London South Bank University UK and Cognitive Psychotherapy School, Modena, Italy
Chiara Manfredi
Affiliation:
Cognitive Psychotherapy School, Modena, Italy
Daniela Rebecchi
Affiliation:
Servizio di Psicologia Clinica, AUSL and Cognitive Psychotherapy School, Modena, Italy
Francesco Rovetto
Affiliation:
University of Pavia, Italy
Giovanni M. Ruggiero
Affiliation:
Cognitive Psychotherapy School, Milano, Italy
Ana V. Nikčević
Affiliation:
Kingston University, Kingston-upon-Thames, UK
Sandra Sassaroli
Affiliation:
Cognitive Psychotherapy School, Milano, Italy
*
Reprint requests to Marcantonio M. Spada, Department of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, Faculty of Health and Social Care, London South Bank University, London Road, London SE1 6LN, UK. E-mail: spadam@lsbu.ac.uk
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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). Aim: The aim was to investigate the relative contribution of recalled parental overprotection in childhood and metacognitions in predicting current levels of worry. Method: 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.

Keywords

Anxietymetacognitionsparental overprotectionworry
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 40 , Issue 3 , May 2012 , pp. 287 - 296
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2011

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