Parental control and college students’ depressive symptoms: A latent class analysis

Woosang Hwang, Eunjoo Jung, Narges Hadi, Seonghee Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We examined how maternal and paternal parental control (helicopter parenting, behavioral control, and psychological control) among college students are related to their depressive symptoms. We collected data from college students who attended a private university in Upstate New York (n = 455) and analyzed it using three-step latent class analysis. Latent class analysis identified four parental control latent classes: weak parental control, strong psychological control, strong helicopter parenting, and strong parental control. College students in the weak parental control class reported lower depressive symptoms than those in strong psychological control and strong parental control classes. In addition, college students in the strong helicopter parenting class reported lower depressive symptoms than those in strong psychological control and strong parental control classes. College students’ depressive symptoms were not significantly different between weak parental control and strong helicopter parenting classes. Future researchers are encouraged to continue to acknowledge the characteristics of different forms of parental control and their influence on college students’ quality of life in the transition to adulthood, considering the unique approaches of both parents.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere0287142
JournalPloS one
Volume19
Issue number2 February
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2024

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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