Poor emotional regulation in anxious kids is linked to greater family accommodation
When anxious children have trouble managing their emotions, their families often bend over backward to help them avoid distress. Researchers suggest that teaching kids to tolerate negative feelings could reduce this well-meaning but counterproductive cycle.
A study examining the relationship between emotional regulation in anxious children and family accommodation has been published in the Journal of Family Psychology. The research found that children with more severe anxiety symptoms were more likely to have families that made changes to help alleviate their anxiety. This association was stronger in children who were less able to regulate their emotional responses.
The study, led by Whitney S. Shepherd, analyzed data from 90 children aged 7 to 17 with anxiety disorders or OCD and their parents. Emotion dysregulation, which refers to a child's ability to manage emotional arousal and express emotions appropriately, was found to be positively associated with family accommodation. This means that children who struggled with emotional regulation tended to have families that changed their behavior to help alleviate their anxiety.
The researchers suggest that interventions targeting children's distress tolerance skills and family accommodation may help reduce anxiety symptoms and improve treatment outcomes for anxious children.
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