Profiles of Helicopter Parenting, Parental Warmth, and Psychological Control During Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

The current study used a person-centered approach to investigate different profiles of helicopter parenting in conjunction with parental psychological control and parental warmth. Child outcomes of parenting profiles were also examined. Participants consisted of 458 emerging adults who completed questionnaires at age 19 (51% female, 33% from single families, 74% college students). Latent profile analyses were conducted separately for mothers and fathers, and profiles included “warm helicopter” parents (77% of mothers, 50% of fathers), “controlling helicopter” parents (20% of mothers, 12% of fathers), “low-involved” parents (3% of both mothers and fathers), “average” fathers (30%), and “high controlling helicopter” fathers (4%). Parenting profiles were differentially associated with children’s school engagement, depression, and delinquency. Discussion focused on the relatively low salience of helicopter parenting in relation to other aspects of parenting and the implications for emerging adult children’s development.