The Link Between Parenting Styles and Anxiety Buffers
Disciplines
Psychology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Anxiety buffer disruption theory (ABDT) is an application of terror management theory (TMT) that explains diverse reactions to traumatic events and the onset/maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The effectiveness of anxiety buffers such as relationships, self-esteem, and worldview may each be linked to the parenting style that an individual was exposed to. In this research study, the main observation is the relationship between PTSD and ABDT, along with how the body responds to thoughts of mortality. In addition, no study to date has evaluated how parenting styles influence the responses to thoughts of death. This leads to the following question: can parenting styles affect anxiety buffers? To conduct this study, we used an online survey administered through Qualtrics. Respondents (N=300) answered questions regarding how they were raised in order to categorize the respondents into each parenting style such as authoritarian/disciplinarian, authoritative, and permissive/indulgent. The participants were then asked questions related to their anxiety buffer and state-level anxiety. The resulting data will be analyzed in order to present a link between parenting styles and their influence on the effectiveness of anxiety buffers. A series of regression analyses will be used to evaluate initial relationships. ANOVA will be used to evaluate differences. The anticipated results of this study will find a clear distinction between authoritarian/disciplinarian, authoritative, and permissive/indulgent parenting style groups in relation to existential anxiety. It is also anticipated that parenting styles that result in more secure and independent individuals will produce stronger anxiety buffers, thus improving coping mechanisms.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Tyler Collette
Additional Faculty
Amy Buddie Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research abuddie@kennesaw.edu
The Link Between Parenting Styles and Anxiety Buffers
Anxiety buffer disruption theory (ABDT) is an application of terror management theory (TMT) that explains diverse reactions to traumatic events and the onset/maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The effectiveness of anxiety buffers such as relationships, self-esteem, and worldview may each be linked to the parenting style that an individual was exposed to. In this research study, the main observation is the relationship between PTSD and ABDT, along with how the body responds to thoughts of mortality. In addition, no study to date has evaluated how parenting styles influence the responses to thoughts of death. This leads to the following question: can parenting styles affect anxiety buffers? To conduct this study, we used an online survey administered through Qualtrics. Respondents (N=300) answered questions regarding how they were raised in order to categorize the respondents into each parenting style such as authoritarian/disciplinarian, authoritative, and permissive/indulgent. The participants were then asked questions related to their anxiety buffer and state-level anxiety. The resulting data will be analyzed in order to present a link between parenting styles and their influence on the effectiveness of anxiety buffers. A series of regression analyses will be used to evaluate initial relationships. ANOVA will be used to evaluate differences. The anticipated results of this study will find a clear distinction between authoritarian/disciplinarian, authoritative, and permissive/indulgent parenting style groups in relation to existential anxiety. It is also anticipated that parenting styles that result in more secure and independent individuals will produce stronger anxiety buffers, thus improving coping mechanisms.