Helicopter Parenting, Social Competence and Self-Compassion Among Adolescents

Abstract

The research examined how helicopter parenting, social competence, and self-compassion are connected, in particular, the possibility of using self-compassion as a mediator between these two variables and adolescents. The objectives of the study were met by using a quantitative correlational research design. The population sample comprised 300 students that were recruited in secondary schools and colleges in Lahore through a convenience sampling method. The instruments that were used to achieve rigor in the methods employed included the Helicopter Parenting Behaviors Questionnaire (HPBQ) that was administered to measure perceived parental over-involvement, the Social Skills Rating System-Short Form (SSRS-SF) which measured the dimensions of social functioning, including cooperation and empathy, and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) that was used to measure self-attitude. All participants gave their informed consent, and minors obtained parental consent. As a type of the statistical analysis, SPSS version 26 was used, including descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and Pearson correlation coefficients to verify the main hypotheses. In addition, the PROCESS Macro (Model 4) was applied to the mediation analysis. Early expectations indicate that although helicopter parenting might be associated with adverse social outcomes, the concept of self-compassion may be an important internalized resource that moderates or mediates these outcomes. This study adds to the current literature since it shows the interaction of intrusive parenting practices with internal self- regulatory interactions in determining the development of the psychosocial dimension of adolescents in a local cultural setting.