A threat from within: Learning to fear by observing aversive bodily symptoms in others.

Although observational fear learning has been implicated in the development of phobic-related fears, studies investigating observational learning of fear of bodily symptoms remain scarce. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether fear in response to bodily symptoms can be acquired simply by observing a fearful reaction to provocation of aversive bodily symptoms in others. Forty healthy participants underwent an observational fear conditioning paradigm consisting of two phases. In the first phase, participants observed a demonstrator reacting to an aversive bodily symptom provocation (unconditioned stimulus or US, i.e., labored breathing) paired with one conditioned stimulus (CS+) but not with the other one (CS-, both CSs were geometric symbols presented on a screen the demonstrator was watching). In the second phase, participants were directly presented with the same conditioned stimuli, but in the absence of the US. Our results revealed enhanced conditioned fear responses in the beginning of the second phase to the CS + as compared to CS-, as indexed by greater skin conductance and subjective fear responses, as well as greater potentiation of startle eyeblink responses to the CS + as compared to the ITI. Taken together, these findings implicate that fear of bodily symptoms can be learned through observation of others, that is, without first-hand experience of bodily threat.

Frequency and Correlates of Fathers' Accommodation in Pediatric Anxiety Disorders.

Previous studies investigating family accommodation (FA) in pediatric anxiety disorders have primarily relied on mothers' reports, while data on FA by fathers remains scarce. We examined the frequency and correlates of fathers' FA of anxious children and compared fathers' and mothers' reports of FA. Participants were 69 parents of treatment-seeking children and adolescents with a primary anxiety disorder. FA was highly prevalent amongst fathers, with the majority of fathers participating in symptom-related behaviors and modifying family routines due to child anxiety. Fathers' accommodation levels were significantly correlated with fathers' reports of child internalizing symptoms, child externalizing symptoms, and fathers' own anxiety symptoms. Fathers' and mothers' reports of FA were moderately correlated, whereas their reports of their respective distress related to the need to accommodate were only weakly correlated. Fathers reported a significantly lower frequency of FA than did mothers. These findings highlight the importance of obtaining reports from both fathers and mothers when assessing FA. Results are particularly relevant to family-focused and parent-based interventions designed to address and reduce FA amongst parents of clinically anxious children.