Abstract

Helicopter parenting is an overinvolved, overcontrolling parenting style that likely interferes with children’s healthy development of authenticity. Authenticity refers to self-awareness and a genuine expression of the self and is important for college students as they traverse the opportunities and challenges of emerging adulthood. Authenticity appears to be a protective characteristic and is negatively related to depressive symptoms. The authors proposed and tested a model in which helicopter parenting was related to depressive symptoms through authenticity. In the present investigation, college students (n = 286) completed self-report instruments assessing perceptions of helicopter parenting, current states of authenticity (self-alienation, authentic living, external influence), and depressive symptoms. Path analysis was conducted with AMOS, and the data fit the model well (χ²(1) = .580, p = .446, TLI = 1.103, CFI = 1.000, RMSEA = .000). Helicopter parenting was related to higher levels of self-alienation and external influence and lower levels of authentic living. Self-alienation and authentic living were related to depressive symptoms (external influence was not related to depressive symptoms). These findings demonstrate the importance of considering developmental predictors of authenticity and depression. Helicopter parenting is likely to inhibit authenticity in ways that may contribute to difficulties in emerging adulthood.

摘要

直升机育儿是一种过度参与，过度控制的育儿方式，可能会干扰儿童真实性的健康发展。真实性是指自我意识和对自我的真实表达，对大学生而言，正当经历穿越成年后的机会和挑战时，对他们而言非常重要。真实性似乎是一种保护性特征，与抑郁症状负相关。作者提出并测试了一个模型，在该模型中，直升飞机的养育通过真实性与抑郁症状相关。在本次调查中，大学生（n = 286）完成了自我报告工具，以评估对直升飞机育儿的看法，真实性的现状（自我疏远，真实的生活，外部影响）和抑郁症状。使用AMOS进行路径分析，²（1）= .580，p = .446，TLI = 1.103，CFI = 1.000，RMSEA = .000）。直升机育儿与较高的自我疏散和外部影响以及较低的真实生活水平有关。自我疏远和真实生活与抑郁症状有关（外部影响与抑郁症状无关）。这些发现表明考虑真实性和抑郁的发展预测因素的重要性。直升飞机育儿可能以可能导致成年困难的方式抑制真实性。