Crisis Response and Adjustment in Emerging Adults: The Role of Helicopter Parenting in College Transition

Objectives For emerging adults, the transition to college is a significant developmental milestone; however, many teenagers experience this transition under the strong influence of helicopter parenting. Even when it is done with the best of intentions, this may hinder the cognitive development of young adults. This study was designed against the backdrop of increasing concerns about helicopter parenting and its potential impact on young adults’ adjustment and adaptive functioning under stress. It examines how helicopter parenting influences first-year students’ responses to crises and how various aspects of college adjustment moderate these dynamics. Hence, the ultimate aim of the study is to clarify the role of helicopter parenting in shaping crisis response and adjustment during the college transition. This quantitative study aims to explore the relationship between first-year university students’ coping with crises and parental over-involvement. Specifically, it investigates how dimensions of college adjustment (academic, social, emotional, and institutional) mediate or moderate the impact of parental overinvolvement on coping behaviours. Additionally, the study employs cluster analysis to identify distinct student coping profiles based on their adjustment levels and perceived parental behaviours. Material and Methods A total of 250 first-year undergraduate students, aged 17–18, were involved in this study. Participants completed the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ), the Consolidated Helicopter Parenting Scale (CHPS), and the Crisis Coping Strategy Scale (CCSS). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple regression, and cluster analysis. Four crisis coping dimensions, problem-focused engagement (PFE), problem-focused disengagement (PFD), emotion-focused engagement (EFE), and emotion-focused disengagement (EFD), were predicted using regression models. Results Helicopter parenting was positively associated with disengaged coping styles and negatively associated with all areas of college adjustment. Regression analyses indicated that student adjustment positively predicted engagement-based coping strategies, whereas higher levels of helicopter parenting strongly predicted increased use of both PFD and EFD. Cluster analysis identified three student profiles, which include disengaged copers, mixed copers, and engaged copers. Conclusion These findings highlight the importance of promoting emerging adults’ emotional intelligence and autonomy, as well as educating parents about the long-term effects of over-participation with the advent of maturity.