Overprotective Parenting Linked to Anxiety in University Students

More freedom could be key.

A study of first-year undergraduates at McGill shows that students with overprotective parents were more vulnerable to anxiety when facing stressors like housing issues or personal loss during the transition to university.

Researchers say excessive parental control may hinder kids from developing coping skills, though in some cases it may also be a reaction to children’s own anxious behaviours.

“Students whose parents are very protective experience a stronger link between exposure to stressful events and feelings of anxiety.”

— Lidia Panier, PhD Student in Psychology

Read more →