Introduction
Adolescence is a critical developmental stage characterized by profound psychological and social transformations, rendering individuals vulnerable to mental health challenges like anxiety and depression. These prevalent issues can have lasting negative effects on well-being and academic success. Parenting styles are a key factor, with “helicopter parenting”—defined by excessive control and intense involvement—drawing significant attention. By undermining an adolescent’s developing need for autonomy and competence, this parenting style is theorized to foster dependency and hinder effective coping skills, increasing vulnerability to internalizing disorders. However, the relationship is complex, suggesting the presence of mediating factors. This study introduces alexithymia—a personality trait involving difficulties in identifying, describing, and processing one’s own emotions—as a key potential mediator. We hypothesize that a controlling parental environment restricts an adolescent’s opportunities for emotional exploration, leading to the development of alexithymic traits. This emotional dysregulation, in turn, may directly contribute to symptoms of anxiety and depression. Given the differing roles mothers and fathers often play, particularly within a collectivist cultural context like Iran, this study aimed to test a structural model investigating the mediating role of alexithymia in the relationship between both maternal and paternal helicopter parenting and symptoms of anxiety and depression among Iranian adolescents.
Method
This study employed a descriptive-correlational design using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the proposed relationships. The target population consisted of high school students in Khamir County, Iran. Through convenience sampling, a final sample of adolescents with complete questionnaire responses was obtained. Data were collected via self-report online instruments: the Short Helicopter parenting Instrument for maternal and paternal styles, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale for emotional processing difficulties, and the anxiety and depression subscales of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales for symptom severity. Data analysis involved calculating descriptive statistics and correlations, followed by using specialized SEM software to assess model fit and path significance.
Results
The structural equation model demonstrated an excellent fit with the data. Path analysis revealed distinct effects for maternal and paternal roles. Maternal helicopter parenting showed no significant direct or indirect association with adolescents’ alexithymia, anxiety, or depression. In contrast, paternal helicopter parenting significantly predicted negative outcomes, showing a direct, positive relationship with alexithymia, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, alexithymia was found to mediate these relationships, as significant indirect pathways were observed from paternal helicopter parenting to both anxiety and depression through alexithymia. Independently, alexithymia also emerged as a powerful predictor of emotional distress, showing a particularly strong association with depression.
Discussion
This study highlights the nuanced, gender-specific impact of helicopter parenting. The lack of effect from maternal helicopter parenting may be because, in Iran’s collectivist context, it is often perceived as normative and caring, a view that could buffer its negative potential. Conversely, paternal helicopter parenting had strong negative effects, consistent with self-determination theory, which posits that thwarting autonomy leads to poor outcomes. Paternal control, possibly interpreted as more authoritarian, directly fosters alexithymia and distress. The mediating role of alexithymia suggests it is the mechanism through which control impairs emotional understanding, leading to internalizing symptoms. The strong alexithymia-depression link emphasizes emotional disconnection as a key risk factor. Future research should explore these dynamics in different cultural settings to test the generalizability of these parent-specific findings. It would also be valuable to investigate other potential mediators, such as self-efficacy or coping strategies, which might further explain the pathway from controlling parenting to adolescent distress. Longitudinal studies could also clarify the causal direction of these relationships over time. These findings imply that interventions should not treat parenting monolithically; programs targeting fathers to reduce control and foster autonomy may be beneficial. Furthermore, this research underscores the importance of a systemic family approach, recognizing that the parent-child dyad is influenced by broader cultural expectations and gender roles. Promoting adolescent emotional literacy could also serve as a protective factor, directly addressing alexithymia to buffer against the effects of excessive parental control.