Children of parents with an anxiety disorder are at increased risk of developing an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime. However, little is known about the risk-factors that contribute to the vulnerability for anxiety disorders in these children. Distortions in information processing seem to play a major role in the maintenance of anxiety disorders, but studies on causality are almost entirely lacking. By studying non-anxious high-risk children with a longitudinal design, we can relate cognitive biases to later levels of anxiety, adding evidence to the hypothesized causal role of cognitive biases. This knowledge is of great scientific importance, as well as allowing for possible prevention. This study will add to knowledge on risk factors for anxiety disorders, so that children at risk can be more precisely targeted and appropriate (preventive) interventions may be developed.  

The proposed study investigates associations between threat-related stimuli and biases in the perception of threat and selective attention to threat-stimuli in children of parents with an anxiety disorder. A follow-up of 2 years enables us to prospectively relate the cognitive bias to later level of anxiety. Besides the focus on cognitive biases, we look at other variables such as parental stress, coping, attachment, and parent-child interactions. 

This project was carried out at the Behavioral Science Institute of Radboud University with the help of a grant from ZonMw. Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Eni becker, co-researchers: Dr. Anke Klein, Dr. Esther Allart, Prof. Dr Mike Rinck. PhD candidate: Rianne van Niekerk.

The project has been completed. Data is currently being processed and written down, with the help of thesisprojects in collaboration with Dr. Jeanine Baartmans.