HomeAbstract of 13th-hsconfInvestigating the Mediating Role of Resilience on the Relationship between Helicopter Parenting-Child Alienation and Autonomy among Emerging Adults in Ibadan, Nigeria

Investigating the Mediating Role of Resilience on the Relationship between Helicopter Parenting-Child Alienation and Autonomy among Emerging Adults in Ibadan, Nigeria

  • Jun 3, 2026
  • Posted by:
  • Category: Abstract of 13th-hsconf
No Comments


Abstract Book of the 13th International Conference on New Findings in Humanities and Social Sciences

Year: 2026

[PDF]

Investigating the Mediating Role of Resilience on the Relationship between Helicopter Parenting-Child Alienation and Autonomy among Emerging Adults in Ibadan, Nigeria

Prof. Bolade Mokuolu, Hikmat M. Onadipe

ABSTRACT:

Emerging adulthood (ages 15–25) represents a crucial period of development characterized by the shift toward autonomy. This research, conducted among emerging adults at a private University in Ibadan, Nigeria, examined how helicopter parenting and parent-child alienation affect the development of autonomy, with resilience explored as a potential moderating factor. The study involved 432 undergraduate students; (Mean = 19.89, SD = 3.16). Standardised instruments were used, including the Multidimensional Helicopter Parenting Scale (MHPS), Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), Adolescent Autonomy Questionnaire (AAQ), and Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Four hypotheses were tested using Pearson correlation and hierarchical multiple regression at a 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that helicopter parenting, parent-child alienation, and resilience jointly predicted autonomy (F(10,128) = 12.26, R = .48, R² = .23, p < .001). Independently, life goal autonomy (β = 0.24, p < .001) and overprotection (β = -0.28, p < .001) which are dimensions of helicopter parenting, and parent-child alienation (β = -0.23, p < .001) significantly predicted autonomy. Resilience do not independently predict autonomy. Over-controlling parenting and emotional distance has a detrimental impact on emerging adults' sense of autonomy as they transition to adulthood. It is therefore recommended that interventions supporting this transition should focus on discouraging over-controlling behaviours and fostering robust parent-child relationships to effectively promote the emerging adults' autonomy.

Keywords: Emotional distance; Life goal; Over-controlling; Transition to adulthood; Undergraduates