Overly involved, protective parents who provide substantial support (e.g.,
financial, emotional, physical health advice) to their emerging adult children, often intervening in their affairs and making decisions for them.

Helicopter Parents

According to adult subjects, helicopter parenting resulted in increased perceptions of:
- Openness
- Guidance
- Emotional support 
in the parent–child relationship

Positive Outcomes of Helicopter Parenting 

Although parents often have positive intentions, helicopter parenting often results in: 
- Lowered family satisfaction 
- A critical family environment 
- Decreased perceptions of well-being 
- Increased levels of psychological adversity (ex. anxiety, stress, depression, and lowered life satisfaction) for the emerging adult child

Negative Outcomes of Helicopter Parenting

These parents are involved in their child’s life, but consider the child’s perspective and act in ways which encourage the child’s independence and ability to solve their own problems.

Autonomy Supportive Parents

In this study, researchers investigate the impact of helicopter parenting on incoming college students' autonomy, and its implications regarding mental and physical health. 

Saint Louis University

Self-efficacy is an individual’s subjective perception of his or her capability to perform in a given setting or to attain desired results, proposed by Albert Bandura as a primary determinant of emotional and motivational states and behavioral change.

Self-Efficacy

Reed, K., Duncan, J. M., Lucier-Greer, M., Fixelle, C., & Ferraro, A. J. (2016). Helicopter parenting and emerging adult self-efficacy: Implications for mental and physical health. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25(10), 3136–3149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0466-x

Helicopter Parenting and Emerging Adult Self-Efficacy

Helicopter parenting and emerging adult self-efficacy: Implications for mental and physical health

- Engage in healthier eating behaviors 
- Invest more time in meaningful activities 
- Use of positive coping skills 
- Lower levels of depression, anxiety, & shyness
- More decisiveness regarding one's career 
- Linked to the development of problem-solving and coping behaviors that help to buffer or amplify vulnerability to negative stressors

Benefits of High Self Efficacy

A 12 item scale which assesses an individual’s appraisal of his or her abilities on dimensions of initiative, effort, and persistence. Sample items include: 
- ‘‘I feel insecure about my ability to do things’’ 
- ‘‘If something looks too complicated I will not even bother to try it’’

General Self-Efficacy Scale 

Researchers found gender to be significantly related to self-efficacy and general
physical health. Men reported higher levels of self-efficacy and greater general physical health compared to women.

Self-Efficacy Gender Differences 

Collective efficacy is the shared belief that the group as a whole is able to perform the task.

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