Journal of Depression and Anxiety
Open Access

Abstract

The Relationships between Perceived Parental Rearing Style and Anxiety Symptoms in Malaysian Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas

Seyed Ebrahim Mousavi, Wah Yun Low and Ailli Hanim Hashim

Anxiety is among the most prevalent forms of psychopathology in adolescence. The Schema Theory emphasizes the role of the quality of the early experiences and parents-child relationship and its impact through the cognitive schemas on emotional health. The present study examined the influence of parental behavior rearing and cognitive schemas on the development of anxiety in Malaysian adolescents. Further, the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in the link between parenting variables and anxiety symptoms in adolescents were examined. Using multiple cluster sampling, 38 classrooms from 11 international secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were selected. A sample of 612 nonclinical adolescents (226 girls and 386 boys) aged 13-18 years (mean age = 15.48 years) completed the questionnaires measuring perceived parenting behaviors (EMBU-C), early maladaptive schemas (YSQ-S3) and anxiety symptoms (SCAS). The results indicated that there were positive correlations among adverse parenting behavior styles, EMSs and anxiety. Further, with regression analyses revealing two parenting styles (Anxious Rearing and Rejection) also, four particular EMSs were significant predictors of anxiety in adolescents. Furthermore, some early maladaptive schemas do mediate the relations between parenting variables and anxiety in adolescent. Findings of current study provide evidence for the notion that the relationship between negative parental rearing behaviors and anxiety is explained by maladaptive cognitive schemas. Finally, clinical significance of the findings was discussed.