Abstract
Objectives
Overparenting is a type of parental control that involves high levels of age-inappropriate intrusiveness, which may hinder the development autonomous behavior in emerging adulthood. Overparenting has been linked to poor mental health in emerging adult college students. However, little is known about the mechanisms involved in this relationship. Emotional distress tolerance (i.e., ability to withstand negative emotional states) has been inversely associated with a number of mental health concerns and has not yet been examined in relation to overparenting. We proposed that emotional distress tolerance may be one mechanism by which overparenting is associated with poor mental health among emerging adults. We examined the direct role of overparenting in relation to mental health symptoms and predicted that emotional distress tolerance would mediate this relationship.
Methods
College student volunteers (N = 360) completed measures of perceived overparenting, emotional distress, and emotional distress tolerance.
Results
When controlling for race and living situation, emotional distress tolerance mediated the relationship between overparenting and emotional distress among college students.
Conclusions
Findings from this study help to explain the possible impact of overparenting behaviors on mental health and provide an intervention point for students struggling with exercising autonomous behaviors during the transition to college.
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Author Contributions
CP: designed and executed the study, conducted data analyses, and wrote the paper. BN: assisted with statistical interpretations, document editing, and assisted with preparation and revision of the manuscript. ED: collaborated with each author to provide literature review and feedback on cultural considerations. ML: contributed to the manuscript editing process and statistical interpretations. BN, ED, and ML: served as members on the primary author’s original graduate research project and provided ongoing feedback regarding the study’s development from the initial to final phase.
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Perez, C.M., Nicholson, B.C., Dahlen, E.R. et al. Overparenting and Emerging Adults’ Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Emotional Distress Tolerance. J Child Fam Stud 29, 374–381 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01603-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01603-5