Structural relationships between psychological factors and college adjustment among medical students in South Korea: focusing on helicopter parenting and respectful parenting

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to determine the impact of helicopter parenting and respectful parenting on medical students’ mindset, grit, self-directedness, and college adjustment. Methods: This study constructed a hypothetical model based on the relationship between helicopter parenting, respectful parenting, mindset, grit, self-directedness, and college adjustment. It set up a structural model to test the fit of the model based on empirical data. The significance of the mediating effects of the paths was tested using multiple mediation analysis. Results: The fit of the initial measurement model did not meet the goodness-of-fit acceptance criteria; therefore, revised models were established. The revised models all showed good fit indices, and the overall path coefficients were significant. Helicopter parenting and respectful parenting are inversely correlated and affect the mindset of medical students, which, in turn, affects their adjustment to college through grit and self-directedness. The results of the multimodal effects of each pathway showed that helicopter parenting negatively affects college adjustment, while respectful parenting has a positive mediating effect on college adjustment. Conclusion: Parenting attitudes have a significant impact on medical students’ mindset, grit, and self-direction, which affects their college adjustment. Parents need to respect their children’s autonomy and independence and avoid excessive interference.