The parents of the helicopter are to blame for the Generation Z youth of the snowflake who are struggling at the university

It is the generation often accused of being too sensitive "snowflakes".

But if young people struggle to cope with life, their sticky parents can bear some responsibility.

One study found that "Generation Z" individuals aged 16 to 22 are much more concerned when they have "helicopter" parents too involved in their lives.

At a time when young people are exceptionally "close and communicative" with their parents, those whose parents have control are more anxious about the transition to adulthood.

Researchers led by the University of Mississippi interviewed 335 students who had just left home and who had undertaken higher education on their relationship with their parents.

They found that those whose parents thought their parents gave them less independence were more worried about the transition to university, with greater worries about the workload, the lack of money, and the lack of independence. money and if others would like it.

The authors suggest that dominant parents can leave children without some of the coping skills they need to become adults.

Carrie Smith, lead author of the University of Mississippi study, said, "I think it means for parents to understand that their relationships with their children are important even when these children leave home.

"In addition, I think parents might be interested in learning that their parent is important – excessive involvement is associated with negative outcomes, but parenthood promotes independence, with children feeling that their parents are supportive. their choices, is associated with positive behaviors. the results. & # 39;

The "flake" label has often been applied to the millennium, which is between 38 and 38 years old, but it also applies to the younger generation.

Students, in particular, are often accused of being too sensitive and too fragile, as British universities have been forced to provide "trigger warnings" to inform them of the content of Shakespeare 's plays and the curriculum. history that they might find offensive.

The US study interviewed people about to become students after leaving their country for the first time, worried.

These included not being able to manage the workload, not having enough money, failing in the transition to college, appearing stupid in class, and making other people do not think so.

People who reported having over-involved parents were much more likely to worry about the transition to college. These troublemakers were more likely to say they had "overprotective" parents, who tended to "give birth" to them and try to control them.

But those young people who thought their parents gave them more independence were more optimistic. They said more often that their parents allowed them to make their own decisions, gave them freedom and allowed them to be themselves.

The study, published in the Journal of Social Psychology, found that children of dominant parents were also more likely to feel guilty about exceeding them if they did well in college.

He says, "When parents become overly involved and controlling, they engage in" helicopter parenting, "which is associated with negative psychological consequences for their children, including increased depression, increased anxiety, decreased Personal efficiency and a sense of alienation from their peers. & # 39;