Highly Involved Parenting of Adolescents With ADHD: Examination of the Psychometric Properties of a Measure of “Helicopter Parenting”

Objective: The concept of the “helicopter parent” was popularized in the 2000s and 2010s by Western culture, and it has recently begun to be examined by researchers to describe parental over-involvement and intrusive behavior that impedes transition into adulthood. Research has yet to investigate the viability of this construct for adolescents when parenting is needed to facilitate the development of autonomy. The present study examined the psychometric structure of a modified “helicopter parenting” measure adapted for use in a sample with increased likelihood of highly involved parenting: adolescents with ADHD. Methods: Adolescents (n = 333; age 13–18 years; 25% female) and their parents (n = 341, 91% female) completed a survey for a study on provider training in stimulant diversion prevention in 2016 and 2017. We modified a previously validated measure of “helicopter parenting” for young adults. Other previously established parenting measures were included. We conducted principal component analysis for both informants’ reports of the modified measure. We examined associations between the components and informants’ demographic characteristics and parenting measures to begin to examine convergent and discriminant validity. Results: Two components were identified for adolescent and parent reports and labeled parental Intervention and Day-to-day Monitoring and Planning. These components were differentially associated with demographic characteristics and other measures of parenting. For example, across reporters, parents exhibited less Day-to-Day Monitoring and Planning for older adolescents. Racially/ethnically minoritized parents and male adolescents reported more Intervention parenting. Modest-sized statistically significant associations were found between these indicators of highly involved parenting and the other measures of parenting. Conclusion: Findings provide initial evidence of construct validity. Future work with more heterogeneous samples should examine if this measure captures adaptive parenting, or behaviors that interfere with developing independence, for adolescents with ADHD and neurotypically developing adolescents.