When Too Much Help is of No Help: Mothers' and Fathers' Perceived Overprotective Behavior and (Mal)Adaptive Functioning in Adolescents

Although parental overprotection is theorized to have lasting negative effects throughout a child's life, there is limited empirical evidence available on its long-term significance on adolescent well-being. This preregistered, three-wave longitudinal study investigated the association of maternal and paternal perceived overprotection in early adolescence with the development of (mal)adaptive psychological, academic, and social functioning throughout adolescence. Data (N = 2229; 50.7% girls) from the longitudinal TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS) in the Netherlands were used (M-age T1 = 11.11, T2 = 13.57, T3 = 16.28). At T1, adolescents reported on their mothers' and fathers' overprotection. From T1 to T3 adolescents and teachers reported about internalizing problems, academic achievement, prosocial, and antisocial behavior. The results showed concurrent associations between higher levels of perceived overprotection and higher levels of internalizing problems, antisocial behaviors, and (after controlling for parental warmth and rejection) lower levels of academic achievement. Perceived overprotection was positively associated with decreased internalizing problems over time. This longitudinal association disappeared after controlling for baseline levels of internalizing problems, suggesting that this result was less robust than expected. Mothers and fathers did not differ in their associations between perceived overprotection and (mal)adaptive functioning. The findings showed that perceived overprotection is mainly concurrently associated with (mal)adaptive adolescent functioning. Future research recommendations are discussed in terms of stability and bidirectional relations.

Automated summary

Although parental overprotection is believed to have negative effects on a child's life, there is limited empirical evidence on its long-term significance for adolescent well-being. This study investigated the association between maternal and paternal perceived overprotection in early adolescence and the development of (mal)adaptive psychological, academic, and social functioning throughout adolescence. The results showed that higher levels of perceived overprotection were associated with higher levels of internalizing problems and antisocial behaviors, as well as lower levels of academic achievement. However, the longitudinal association between perceived overprotection and internalizing problems was less robust than expected. Future research should explore stability and bidirectional relations.