Caucasian/White participants reported lower levels of helicopter parenting behaviors
and higher anxiety compared to minority participants.

Saint Louis University

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

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

A 9 item Helicopter Parenting subscale used to assess an individuals' perceptions of their mother’s/mother figure’s controlling or ‘‘hovering’’ parenting behaviors. Sample items included: 
- ‘‘My mother regularly wants me to call or text her to let her know where I am"
- ‘‘My mother monitors my diet"

Helicopter Parenting Subscale

Researchers found helicopter parenting to be positively correlated with
general physical health and negatively correlated with self efficacy. They also found its effects to not be directly related to depression, anxiety, and overall life satisfaction, but strongly indirectly correlated to them.

Researchers assert that helicopter parenting behaviors are intrusive and unnecessary, but are not directly predictive of mental health and life satisfaction.
Rather, such parenting behaviors work to indirectly impact mental health, life satisfaction, and physical health. 

The experience of helicopter parenting behaviors deteriorates one’s self-efficacy, which limits ones’ ability to face and persist against challenges or stressors, resulting in poorer well-being.

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