Helicopter Parenting and the Mental Health of iGen College Students

Helicopter parenting is a type of over-parenting in which parents hover over their college students, ready to intervene at a moment's notice to protect and micromanage their emerging adult's personal and academic life. Constant monitoring by parents may have a negative impact on mental health by decreasing a sense of independence and self-efficacy. Current traditional undergraduate students comprise the cohort of youth in the iGen generation. With the advent of smartphones, parents' surveillance adds to the “culture of safetyism” that predominates on college campuses, leading to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Psychiatric–mental health nurses need to be aware of the effects of helicopter parenting on the development of college students and encourage youth to engage in challenging educational and social activities that promote autonomy and independence. [ Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58 (5), 16–22.]