This study extends research on graduate student mental health and helicopter parenting by surveying graduate students (N = 367) to determine if maternal and paternal helicopter parenting predict graduate student depression. Age is proposed as a moderator and parental financial support is proposed as a mediator of the relationship between helicopter parenting and depression. Results indicated maternal and paternal helicopter parenting were significantly, positively associated with graduate student depression. Age moderated and parental financial support partially mediated the relationship between maternal (but not paternal) helicopter parenting and graduate student depression. Implications for communication scholars and higher education institutions are discussed.
Key words: helicopter parenting, graduate students, depression, family communication
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