Poster #48 - Support From Mothers, Fathers, and Siblings Buffers Maternal and Paternal Helicopter Parenting

• In Event: Poster Session 18

Abstract

Given the literature surrounding the negative implications of over-parenting on younger children, it is important to consider what over-parenting might look like within the context later development. Helicopter parenting—a style of parenting defined by over-controlling and over-involvement of parents in their emerging adult children’s lives—has detrimental impacts on college students’ well-being. It is important to study helicopter parenting in both mothers and fathers, as both maternal and paternal helicopter parenting contribute negatively to college students’ adjustment. Recent literature has emphasized the importance of examining moderators that buffer the risk posed by helicopter parenting, such as the buffering effects of maternal or paternal support on harmful effects of helicopter parenting. In addition, siblings may serve as important sources of support for buffering against stress originating from parents, particularly during, and the transition to, college—a salient time for increased closeness in sibling relationships. Using a family systems approach, we hypothesized that supportive relationships from mothers, fathers, and siblings would buffer the impact of both maternal and paternal helicopter parenting on college students’ adjustment (N = 572). The sample mostly identified as white (58.88%) and 41.11% identified as other ethnic/racial backgrounds. The participant was the younger sibling for 55.1% of dyads and 49.1% of participants had a same sex sibling.

Multivariate regressions of the entire sample are reported in Table 1. Additionally, multiple-group path analyses were conducted to examine whether the pattern of effects varied by gender. We found 1) there are additive rather than compensatory effects of relational support from multiple family members (including siblings) in buffering the established risks posed by helicopter parenting; 2) risks are posed by both maternal and paternal helicopter parenting; 3) sibling dyadic gender composition is important to emerging adults’ experiences of helicopter parenting. For example, results indicated that greater maternal support was associated with greater well-being in the context of high paternal helicopter parenting accompanied by high paternal support (b = 2.39, s.e. = 0.72, p < .001). Among participants with female siblings, there was also a similar pattern of effects for depressive symptoms; high maternal support was associated with fewer depressive symptoms in the context of high paternal helicopter parenting accompanied by high paternal support (b = -4.13, s.e. = 1.87, p = .027). There was also a significant interaction between maternal helicopter parenting, maternal support, and sibling support on college student depressive symptoms. High sibling support was associated with fewer depressive symptoms in the context of high maternal helicopter parenting accompanied by high maternal support (b = -3.04, s.e. = 1.31, p = .021; Figure 1).

Overall, this study found that additional support from another person (either the other parent or sibling) was beneficial in mitigating the risks conferred by helicopter parenting when helicopter parenting was also accompanied by parental support. This study uniquely contributes to the helicopter parenting literature by taking a family systems approach, analyzing the interaction between multiple relationships (mothers, fathers, and siblings) within the family system and how these might function simultaneously to impact mental health.

Authors

• Madeline Klotz, Michigan State University
  Presenting Author

• Youchuan Zhang, Michigan State University

• Amy K. Nuttall, Michigan State University

• Nicole Campione-Barr, University of Missouri - Columbia

• William J Chopik, Michigan State University