authoritative parenting was associated with less of an
increase in internalizing behavior problems over time,
when controlling for BI (Williams et al., 2009).
Closely related to perceptions of parenting style
are parenting beliefs, such as beliefs about parenting
or about the specific needs of certain children (Rubin
et al., 2009). The link between maternal behavior
and BI or anxiety may be developed through the
mother’s
beliefs
about
particular
child
behaviors
(Rubin, Nelson, Hastings, & Asendorpf, 1999). For
instance, when mothers interpret children’s wari-
ness
as
highly
distressing,
they
may
feel
overly
concerned and attempt to control the situation to
decrease
their
children’s
discomfort.
Therefore,
children with BI may elicit protection from others
and, ironically, this protective parenting behavior
may maintain inhibited child behavior and lead to an
anxiety disorder (Mills & Rubin, 1993; Rubin & Mills,
1990). Although this concern and involvement may
seem adaptive, such beliefs and behaviors may pre-
vent an inhibited child from independently experi-
encing positive achievements and developing coping
skills in novel situations. Conversely, research has
shown
that
BI
is
negatively
related
to
maternal
endorsement of empathy, appropriate developmental
expectations, and use of positive discipline strategies
(Partridge, 2003), suggesting that some parents may
not adopt such a concerned attitude towards their
inhibited child. These diverse differences in parental
beliefs
may
exert
important
influences
on
their
subsequent
parenting
behavior
and
the
develop-
mental outcomes of their BI children. In addition, it
is important to note which individual is reporting on
parents’ behavior or style, as individual biases may
influence
their
responses.
For
instance,
children
with heightened anxiety may perceive their parents
as more rejecting or negative, due to their own vigi-
lance to the surrounding environment. Similarly,
parents with their own psychopathology may have
low efficacy in their parenting skills, and as a result
report more negative, controlling styles. More work is
needed
with
multiple
informants
of
parenting
behaviors, psychopathology, and the overall parent–
child
relationship
in
order
to
tease
apart
these
intervening factors from child BI and anxiety.
Mother–child
attachment
and
family
relation-
ships.
Parents’
repeated
interactions
with
their
inhibited children influence the broader parent–child
relationship and family climate. When parents react
to their inhibited children by protecting and guarding
them from their fears, and parenting in an overpro-
tective or intrusive manner, the child’s fears are
reinforced and even heightened. While it is plausible
that maternal efforts to minimize their children’s fears
may appear sensitive in nature and might lead to a
secure attachment, parents’ constant effort to guard
children from fearful situations might actually put a
great deal of strain on the relationship, leading to an
insecure attachment. In fact, research has shown that
