Helicopter Mothers and Helicopter Fathers: Italian Adaptation and Validation of the Helicopter Parenting Instrument

Pistella, Jessica; Izzo, Flavia; Isolani, Stefano; Ioverno, Salvatore; Baiocco, Roberto

doi:10.13133/2724-2943/16900

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…However, discrepancies between maternal and paternal overprotectiveness were evident. Mean levels of the anxious overprotective parenting subscales were consistently higher for mothers, replicating findings by others (Pistella et al, 2020). Moreover, the extent of maternal overprotection was large enough to "spillover" into other relationships; i.e., maternal anxious overprotective parenting impacted perceptions of father hostility (which in turn was indirectly related to academic confidence via intrapersonal outcomes).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Understanding the link between anxious parental overprotection and academic confidence in emerging adults: Mediation through interpersonal and intrapersonal processes

Lewis

Slater

McGinley

et al. 2023

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

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Some parents may engage in overparenting, often characterized as overprotection, to ensure their college student’s academic success, yet, findings show that such parental efforts undermine performance. In the present study, we propose that there are interpersonal (parental hostility) and intrapersonal factors (depression and self-regulation) that act as mechanisms through which anxious overprotective parenting leads to diminished emerging adult academic confidence. Emerging adults ( N = 967; 75.6% women; M age = 18.71, SD = .94) who were primarily in their first (60.5%) or second (35.7%) year of college completed measures of academic confidence (academic adjustment, academic efficacy, confidence in graduating), reports of mothers’ and fathers’ anxious overprotective parenting, perceptions of maternal and paternal hostility, depression, and self-regulation. Employing a double mediation structural equation model, results revealed that anxious maternal and paternal overprotective parenting operated through perceived parental hostility to intrapersonal processes (depression, self-regulation) in predicting academic confidence. Maternal and paternal hostility, in particular, was paramount as an interpersonal mediator through which overprotective parenting led to emerging adult intrapersonal and academic outcomes. Although cross-sectional, the current findings are suggestive of the developmental cascade model (Masten & Cicchetti, 2010), whereby diminished family dynamics are associated with internalizing symptoms and self-regulatory issues, which, in turn, are linked with lower academic achievement in children.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Understanding the link between anxious parental overprotection and academic confidence in emerging adults: Mediation through interpersonal and intrapersonal processes

Lewis

Slater

McGinley

et al. 2023

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

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“…The Helicopter Parenting Instrument (HPI; Odenweller et al, 2014; Italian validation by Pistella et al, 2020) is a 15-item scale used to measure subjects' perception of helicopter parenting (e.g., "My parent supervised my every move growing up" and "My parent often stepped in to solve life problems for me"). Responses are provided on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree), with higher scores indicating higher levels of helicopter parenting.…”

Section: Helicopter Parentingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Problematic internet use in emerging adulthood to escape from maternal helicopter parenting: defensive functioning as a mediating mechanism

Carone,

Benzi,

Muzi

et al. 2023

RES PSYCHOTHER-PSYCH

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The increasing use of the Internet has raised concerns about its problematic use, particularly among emerging adults who grew up in a highly digitalized world. Helicopter parenting, characterized by excessive involvement, overcontrol, and developmentally inappropriate behavior, has been identified as a potential factor contributing to problematic Internet use (PIU). Under these circumstances, considering that emerging adults navigate their adult lives and strive to reduce their sense of being in-between, implicit emotion regulation strategies, such as defense mechanisms, may help comprehend PIU. The present questionnaire-based study investigated the associations between maternal and paternal helicopter parenting and PIU through defensive functioning among a community sample of 401 cisgender emerging adults (71.82% females; 82.04% heterosexuals; Mage=24.85, SD=2.52) living in Italy. About one-fourth (25.19%) reported PIU. Greater maternal, B=0.904, SE=0.235, p<.001, but not paternal, B=0.343, SE=0.188, p=.068, helicopter parenting was significantly associated with PIU through a less mature defensive functioning. Conversely, neither maternal, B=1.158, SE=0.722, p=.109, nor paternal, B=0.355, SE=0.731, p=.628, helicopter parenting had a direct association with PIU. The results suggest the importance for psychotherapists to incorporate individuals’ defense mechanisms and parent–child relationship history when designing tailored interventions for effective treatment of PIU. This emphasis is crucial because, in the context of a developmentally appropriate parenting style, relying on more mature defenses after psychotherapeutic intervention can lead to healthier adjustment among emerging adults.

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Helicopter Parenting and Resilience Among Malaysian Chinese University Students: The Mediating Role of Fear of Negative Evaluation

Low,

Chong

2023

J Adult Dev

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Helicopter Mothers and Helicopter Fathers: Italian Adaptation and Validation of the Helicopter Parenting Instrument

Cited by 3 publications

References 13 publications

Understanding the link between anxious parental overprotection and academic confidence in emerging adults: Mediation through interpersonal and intrapersonal processes

Understanding the link between anxious parental overprotection and academic confidence in emerging adults: Mediation through interpersonal and intrapersonal processes

Problematic internet use in emerging adulthood to escape from maternal helicopter parenting: defensive functioning as a mediating mechanism

Helicopter Parenting and Resilience Among Malaysian Chinese University Students: The Mediating Role of Fear of Negative Evaluation

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