The Relationship Between Parent and Child Anxiety: Testing the Intergenerational Model of Anxiety in Children Born with a Cleft

ObjectiveTo compare overprotective parenting and child and parent anxiety between children born with and without a cleft lip and/ or palate (CL/P). To understand correlates of anxiety for children born with a CL/P and their parents.Design, Participants, SettingParents of 8- to 12-year-old children with a CL/P (<i>n</i> = 63, mean age = 10.5 years, male = 68.3%), or without a CL/P (control group; <i>n</i> = 66, mean age = 9.9 years, male = 47%) were recruited from the UK community (2022-2024). Most respondents were mothers (92.2%).Outcome measuresParents completed an online survey assessing overprotective parenting, child anxiety, parent anxiety, and (in the CL/P group) parental appraisals.ResultsParent-reported child anxiety was higher in the CL/P group than the control group (η_p² = 0.04, <i>P</i> = .03), while parent anxiety (η_p² = 0.01, <i>P</i> = .26) and overprotective parenting (η_p² = 0.001, <i>P</i> = .73) did not differ significantly between groups. Within the CL/P group, parent-reported child anxiety was associated (<i>P</i> < .05) with parental anxiety (<i>r_s</i> = .27), overprotective parenting (<i>r_s</i> <i>=</i> .38), and certain parental appraisals (child's self-confidence; <i>r_s</i> <i>=</i> .45, and manageability of the CL/P; <i>r_s</i> <i>=</i> -.25). Parent anxiety was associated with overprotective parenting (<i>r_s</i> = .40), and self-blame appraisals (<i>r_s</i> <i>=</i> .37).ConclusionsChildren born with a CL/P may be at increased risk of anxiety by parent-report, while parental anxiety and overprotection appear comparable to controls. Parental appraisals may be promising targets for intervention. Future longitudinal research is required to draw causal inferences.