Helicopter Parenting and the Policy Attitudes of College Students

Helicopter Parenting and the Policy Attitudes of College Students

by Kerri Milita, Illinois State University and Jaclyn BunchUniversity of South Alabama

Helicopter parenting is a phenomenon that is attracting sizable attention from university administrators and instructors. We examine the implications of helicopter parenting for both the political science classroom and for public opinion. Using a survey conducted at multiple universities in the U.S., we find that helicopter parenting has a significant impact on the policy attitudes of college students. Specifically, students with helicopter parents are more likely to express support for both government surveillance and social welfare policies than are students without helicopter parents. Given the growing trend of helicopter parenting, these findings will likely have substantial implications for both the political science classroom and public opinion in the near future.

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Kerri Milita

PS: Political Science & Politics / Volume 50, Issue / April 2017, pp. 359-366