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Most parents only want the best for their children. This is why they are quick to become protective when facing something they think could threaten their child's safety. However, what happens when it is overdone?

Clinical psychologist Judith Locke explains that there are two ways to define overparenting. The first is where parents tend to over-assist their children with tasks, and the second is when parents become extremely responsive with the love, care and affection they give their children. In both cases, overparenting can lead to the child struggling to develop essential cognitive skills that they need as they grow up. 

While they may seem extremely loving and caring, it may not be the best for the children. In one study, researchers found that the long-term effects of overparenting could be difficult to buffer, which means children may have difficulty coping with problems in the future.

Loneliness and anxiety 

In a systematic review, researchers looked at 74 peer-reviewed studies from 2002 to 2021, focusing on domains like psychological, behavioral, social, academic and career development in emerging adults aged 18 to 29. The majority showed detrimental links between overparenting and the examined areas in the field. 

They also worked on another study and found that overparenting was associated with higher levels of loneliness and social anxiety among emerging adults. This was accompanied by a difficulty in emotion regulation.

Perfectionism and other traits

In past studies, overparenting was associated with developing various psychological issues like perfectionism and entitlement in adulthood. Similar to the recent study, the lack of emotion regulation can be attributed to overparenting methods like helicopter parenting. Experts found that adults who were children of overparenting lack competencies in self-regulation, coping mechanisms, friendship and dating. They were also seen to externalize problems, resulting in substance abuse and social media addictions.