Examining the Relationship Between Helicopter Parenting Attitudes, Mindfulness and School Adjustment

Abstract

This study systematically investigated the complex relationships among adolescents’ perceptions of parental helicopter parenting, their dispositional mindfulness, and their overall adaptation to the school environment. The research framework was developed based on the relational choice model. To thoroughly examine the hypothesized mechanisms, the mediation effect was tested using PROCESS Macro Model 4, as clearly proposed by Hayes (2022). The research sample, meticulously selected, consisted of 221 adolescents enrolled in various high schools in Turkey during the 2024-2025 academic year. Comprehensive data were collected using the “Perceived Helicopter Parenting Scale,” the “School Adjustment Scale,” and the “Mindfulness Scale,” all of which are established instruments in the field. The key empirical findings indicated that both perceived maternal and paternal helicopter-parenting attitudes exerted significant negative direct and indirect effects on students’ overall school adjustment. Crucially, the students’ inherent mindfulness level was found to play a robust and statistically significant mediating role in this adverse relationship. The results strongly demonstrate that specific parental attitudes are determining factors in students’ effective educational and psychosocial adjustment. Consequently, mindfulness skills should be considered a vital protective factor against the negative outcomes associated with overly intrusive parenting.