Associations Among Helicopter Parenting, Motivation, and Mindset
Date
2021-11Author
Blaschke, Ashlyn K
Publisher
University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Helicopter parenting, a type of overparenting, is a unique pattern of behaviors that
typically includes excessive and developmentally inappropriate parental involvement.
Rather than allow their child to embrace developmentally appropriate and typical
childhood challenges, helicopter parents intervene prematurely and solve problems for
their child (LeMoyne & Buchanan, 2011). Helicopter parenting has been associated with
lower levels of self-determination and autonomy in children and adolescents and higher
levels of extrinsic motivation, performance-goal orientation, and maladaptive
perfectionism (Schiffrin, Liss, Miles-McLean, Geary, Erchull, & Tashner, 2014; Schiffrin
& Liss, 2017). Further, since helicopter parents attempt to prevent their child from
experiencing failure, it is likely that children of helicopter parents have limited
opportunities to develop growth mindsets (i.e., the belief that success often involves
mistakes and repeated efforts; Haimovitz & Dweck, 2016). Using an online survey
methodology, this study assessed college students’ self-reported experiences with
helicopter parenting, intelligence mindsets, and goal orientations. The results suggested
that helicopter parenting was associated with a mastery goal orientation, but was not
associated with intelligence mindset.
Subject
Parenting--United States--History
Parental overprotection
Parent and child--United States