The Role of BIS Sensitivity in the Relationship Between Family Enmeshment and Child Anxiety

Abstract

Previous work has demonstrated that three overarching vulnerabilities-genetic, environmental, and temperamental-contribute to the development of child anxiety. The purpose of our study was to assess: (a) the relationship between an environmental vulnerability, family enmeshment, and child anxiety; (b) whether parental anxiety accounts for this relationship; and (c) whether this relationship is mediated by levels of child Behavioral Inhibition System sensitivity, a highly persistent temperamental variable demonstrating positive associations with child anxiety. Our study included 38 Canadian parent-child dyads from an urban area, of which 33 children were Caucasian and 18 were girls. Children were aged 9 or 11 years (M = 10.21, SD = 1.07). Children completed measures of anxiety and sensitivity towards threat and parents completed measures of family enmeshment. The results supported a significant positive relationship between family enmeshment and child anxiety; parental anxiety did not account for this relationship; and the relationship was partially mediated by Behavioral Inhibition System sensitivity. Specifically, when the effect of Behavioral Inhibition System sensitivity was controlled for, the association between family enmeshment and child anxiety became non-significant. The results suggest that family enmeshment is associated with levels of child anxiety largely through the function of children's sensitivity to threat. Enmeshed families may increase children's susceptibility to anxiety through their effect on child temperament, specifically sensitivity to threat.

Psychological Intrusion – An Overlooked Aspect of Dental Fear

“…At its most corrosive, the possessiveness and dominance are so severe that there is a process of enmeshment in which there is a blurring of psychological boundaries in favour of a family identity ( Barber and Buehler, 1996 ; Kivisto et al, 2015 ). Children from enmeshed families have increased levels of anxiety, mediated by their temperament and sensitivity to threat, their psychological flexibility and self-compassion ( Rowsell et al, 2016 ; Berryhill et al, 2018 ).…”

Family cohesion, shame-proneness, expressive suppression, and adolescent mental health—A path model approach

“…Dysfunctional levels of family cohesion are associated with mental health problems. On the one hand, family enmeshment, marked by low autonomy of family members, high control, and permeable boundaries, is associated with adolescent internalizing and externalizing disorders ( Barber and Buehler, 1996 ), eating disorders ( Cerniglia et al, 2017 ), anxiety, and depression ( Stark et al, 1990 ; Rowsell et al, 2016 ). On the other hand, disengaged families are characterized by strict boundaries, but the relationships are marked by low emotional warmth and involvement of the family members ( Olson, 2000 ).…”