Helicopter Parenting Linked to Depression

College students not happy with being controlled

A new study by Holly Schiffrin and colleagues from the University of Mary Washington finds that college students with overcontrolling parents, also known as helicopter parents, are more likely to be depressed. They discovered that helicopter parenting negatively affects students' well-being by preventing them from feeling autonomous.

Helicopter parenting could lead to higher levels of depression and anxiety, according to the researchers. Children with overcontrolling parents may feel less able to manage life and its stressors. Researchers caution, however, that some parental involvement in children's lives aids healthy development.