The Lived Experience of Children of people with Generalized anxiety disorder: A qualitative Study

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry about various aspects of life or activities. The impact of anxious parents, particularly those with generalized anxiety disorder, can have devastating effects on their children. In this study, we examined the life experiences of children with parents who have generalized anxiety disorder.

This research employed qualitative and phenomenological approaches. Participants in this study were 15 children of individuals with generalized anxiety disorder who were purposefully selected using the snowball method from counseling centers in Tehran. The information gathered from the interviews was analyzed using the Colaizzi seven-step method.

Four main themes were extracted from the interviews, including living conditions, the effects of parental anxiety on the individual's life, lack of assertiveness skills, and psychological effects on the individual. The living conditions encompassed four sub-themes: difficult life, stress, feelings of anger towards parents, and fatigue. The impact of parental anxiety on an individual's life can lead to a desire to migrate (as a means of escape), a constant need to be available for reassurance, a tendency to report to the parent, and a longing for love. Lack of assertiveness skills with three sub-themes included inability to say no, accepting overly tolerant responsibilities, and prioritizing the needs of others over one's own. The psychological effects of parental anxiety on individuals include five sub-themes: perfectionism, functional anxiety/social anxiety, driving phobia and other specific phobias, and low self-esteem.

Parental anxiety disorders can have a significant impact on children. It is crucial to study them.