Citation

Reuman L, Abramowitz JS. Child Psychiatry Hum. Dev. 2018; 49(1): 53-62.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Davie Hall, CB #3270, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10578-017-0728-x

PMID

28409317

Abstract

Symptom accommodation-behaviors that family members engage in either to prevent or alleviate a loved one's anxiety-is ubiquitous in families with relatives affected by fear-based disorders (FBDs), yet little research has examined the extent to which certain psychological factors predict symptom accommodation. The current study examined several potential predictors (e.g., empathic concern) among co-residing relatives of individuals diagnosed with FBDs. Participants (n = 53) completed a series of clinical interviews and self report measures.

RESULTS indicated that accommodation occurred to similar degrees across relatives with various relationships to the individual with a FBD, as well as across different FBDs. Further, the predictors jointly explained a significant amount of variance in accommodation; although, no single construct emerged as a unique predictor. Empathic concern and expressed emotion emerged as marginally significant predictors of symptom accommodation.

CONCLUSIONS, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Language: en

Keywords

Accommodation; Anxiety; Couple; Family; Parent