Samira Elhami - Master of applied psychology, Department of psychology, Torbat-e-jam branch, Islamic Azad University, Torbate-jam, Iran
Elham Kasmaee - Master of applied psychology, Department of psychology, Torbat-e-jam branch, Islamic Azad University, Torbate-jam, Iran
Marzieh Rostami - Master of applied psychology, Department of psychology, Ferdosi University, Mashhad, Iran.
Seyede Hamdam Seyedi Alirezaee - Master of applied psychology, Department of psychology, Torbat-e-jam branch, Islamic Azad University, Torbate-jam, Iran

Background and aim:Theoretical models emphasize the role of parenting behaviors in the growth and survival of child anxiety. One of the most important predictors of parental behavior that has so far not been widely studied in children s anxiety disorders is parent s knowledge and beliefs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive role of mothers thinking styles and their parenting attitudes on child anxiety. Methods: For this purpose, 234 mothers of 6 years old children (girls and boys) were selected from preschool centers in Mashhad through cluster sampling and they filled up Sternberg Thinking Styles Questionnaire, Adult Adolescent Parenting List (AAPI-2), and a Spence Children s Anxiety Scale Questionnaire (SCAS) and Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that second-order thinking styles of mothers, especially conservative thinking style, positively predict child anxiety. Inappropriate expectations of the child and the lack of empathy with the child s needs predict the child s anxiety positively. Conclusion: Combining the style of conservative thinking with inappropriate expectations and the lack of empathy with the needs of the child, better predicts anxiety

1-Thinking styles 2- Parenting attitudes 3- Children s anxiety