Psychology study finds children with more severe social anxiety often have parents who offer repeated reassurance or help them avoid stressful situations

Parents tend to modify routines and provide reassurance to ease children’s anxiety during challenging situations. A recent study reveals that such family accommodation is often linked to heightened social-anxiety symptoms among children. Researchers analyzed data indicating that higher levels of parental accommodation correlate with greater severity of anxiety symptoms. However, the study does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between these behaviors and anxiety.