Anxiety Mindsets: Parents and Children

Parent/guardian and their 8-12 year old child

In this study, half the study is for you (the adult) and the other half for your 8-12 year old child. In your half of the study, you will respond to 50 survey questions (e.g., “I might worry that my child is just an anxious child”), one written open-response question (e.g., “Write one sentence about how you would feel in the situation you just read.”), and read one vignette about your child in an anxious situation. You will also complete 9 demographic questions about you and the child in the study (e.g., age, gender, race, socioeconomic status). In your child’s half of the study, they will see 6 picture scenarios (e.g., a stick figure climbing a tall rock), each with one survey question (e.g., “Are they just a brave person?”) and 2 open-ended written responses (e.g., “Why?”). They will also respond to 23 survey items (e.g., “How often do you worry about things?”). You can also help read your child's part of the study to them, if needed.

Parents play a significant role in the development of children’s beliefs. This research will help us better understand what children believe about the nature of anxiety and how children develop their beliefs about the nature of anxiety. In this study, we're looking at how parents influence their children's thinking about anxiety. Some parents believe that feeling anxious can sometimes be helpful (like motivating us to prepare for a test), while others see anxiety as harmful and something to avoid. In this study, we want to understand if these parental beliefs, along with how parents respond when their child feels anxious, shape what children believe about the nature of anxiety.

20-25 mins (10-12 minutes each)

For your and your child’s participation in the study, you will receive a $5 gift card. Some limitations and eligibility criteria apply: (1) only one gift card per participant set, (2) child must be in the age range for the study (8-12 years old), (3) child must be visible in the consent video, and (4) child participants may only participate once; however, the parent/guardian can participate again with a different child.