Social and Separation Anxiety Disorder: Relationship with Authoritarian Parenting on Children

Background: Authoritarian parenting has been a predictor of social and separation anxiety.  Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the level of prevalence of separation anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder in children and its relationship with authoritarian parenting. Methods: An experimental research design was carried out in this study to identify how authoritarian parenting influences separation anxiety and social anxiety among children in the age of 12-14 years. Eighty- five children (53 girls and 32 boys) were chosen for this study. Interview has been done to know the level of authoritarian parenting and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders-R (Dimensions: Social Anxiety and Separation Anxiety) by Birmaher et al., (1997) was administered to the sample for identifying the levels of Social anxiety and separation anxiety. Results: The results revealed that 56.5% of the total samples were growing in authoritarian parenting style and 90.58% were at the high risk of developing separation anxiety disorder and 60 % were at the high risk of developing social anxiety disorder. Findings also suggested that there is a relatively high significant relationship between authoritarian parenting & social anxiety and authoritarian parenting & separation anxiety among children.  Conclusion: Authoritarian parenting is associated with future prevalence of separation anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder. Unique contribution: This study may help the children to identify the level of child anxiety so that they can find better ways for reducing it and to live a better life in future.