Internalizing and Externalizing Correlates of Parental Overprotection as Measured by the EMBU: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Aspects of parenting including overprotection explain individual differences in child adjustment. This review and meta-analysis summarizes studies on parental overprotection and internalizing and externalizing problems. To ensure that findings could be compared as systematically as possible, the focus is on studies that used the overprotection scale of the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran (“Memories of my Parents’ Upbringing”) (EMBU) questionnaire, a popular instrument to measure parental overprotection. In total, we extracted 176 effects from 29 studies. A modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to perform quality assessments for the included studies. Parental overprotection was positively associated with offspring internalizing and externalizing problems, with overall estimates ranging from r = .14 to .18. Moderator analyses suggested that effects of maternal were larger than effects of paternal overprotection. Other factors that moderated the strength of the association between overprotection and maladjustment included whether outcomes were self-reported or parent-reported, the design was cross-sectional or longitudinal, and publication year. Cultural context, age at exposure, and child sex did not explain differences between effect sizes. Most findings were based on cross-sectional studies and therefore do not constitute proof of causal relations. Many studies were of less-than-satisfactory quality regarding representativeness of the sample, descriptions of the data collection, and statistical analyses. There is a clear need for well-powered longitudinal studies to strengthen inferences about associations between parental overprotection and internalizing and externalizing problems.

Examining the Relationships Among Parental Overprotection, Military Life Adjustment, Social Anxiety, and Collective Efficacy

The purpose of this study was to verify the relationships among parental overprotection (PO), military life adjustment (MLA), social anxiety, and collective efficacy (CE). There have been studies examining the influence of each of these variables in isolation, but no study has examined these variables simultaneously. Two hundred and thirty-one male conscript soldiers participated in the study. Results indicated that all four variables were correlated with one another. Through hierarchical regression analysis, we determined that social anxiety fully mediated the relationship between PO and MLA. Furthermore, we found that CE moderated the relationship between PO and social anxiety. Finally, we confirmed the moderated mediation effect of CE in our proposed model. We discuss the implications and limitations of this model.

The relationship between parenting styles and self-congruence of undergraduate students: Core self-evaluation as a mediator

We investigated the relationships between parenting styles and children's core self-evaluation and self-congruence, and further explored the mediating effect of children's core self-evaluation in the relationship between parenting style and self-congruence. The survey participants were 385 undergraduate students at four public universities in Shandong, China. The results show that the students' perception of parental rejection and overprotection were positively correlated with their self-congruence, and that parental emotional warmth and students' core self-evaluation were negatively related to their self-congruence. Further, students' core self-evaluation partially mediated the relationship between their perception of parental overprotection/emotional warmth and their self-congruence. We determined that the mechanism of the effect of parenting styles on selfcongruence was as follows: High levels of parental overprotection or low levels of emotional warmth reduce the level of core self-evaluation of undergraduate students, which further contributes to inconsistency in their self-congruence.

Visibility, Contact and Market-Competence: Keys to the Inclusion of People With Intellectual Disabilities in the Lebanese Workplace

Background: People with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience high unemployment due to external (stigma, parental overprotection and low expectations) and internal (learned helplessness) barriers. Although Lebanon was a pioneer among Arab countries in its legislative and social activism toward inclusion of disabled people, stigma persists and a benevolence model of disability still prevails. Aims: This article aims at identifying the needs of people with ID, and proposing directions for future work toward their inclusion in the Lebanese workplace, based on identified needs. Methodology: A literature search for articles on ID in Lebanon and national and regional reports on employment of people with ID over the past two decades was performed, excluding all documentation using unclear definitions of ID or focusing on mental illness. Findings: Analysis of the literature highlighted the need for more familiarity and contact with, for more visibility of, and more market-competent training for people with ID in Lebanon. Conclusions and implications: Prejudice and faulty conceptions of ID can be reduced by increasing visibility of people with ID through increased everyday life contact opportunities. Change is urged at the level of organisational sheltered training to provide a more market-competent training for ensuring proper job placement of people with ID in mainstream labour.

Parenting Changes of Mothers of a Child with Cancer

Having a child with cancer affects the dyadic relationship between caregivers and the child. This study focused on changes in parenting and discipline among mothers after their child was diagnosed with cancer. We used semistructured interviews to explore 20 mothers’ experiences of parenting a child who had been diagnosed with cancer during the prior 5 years and before the age of 19 years in South Korea. Thematic analysis yielded five themes related to parenting changes: parental overprotection, increased parental permissiveness, use of threats to ensure compliance, concern for the child’s stress levels, and mothers’ confusion about optimal parenting. All mothers reported uncertainty and concern regarding how best to parent their sick child to ensure optimal health outcomes. The findings inform best practices for integrating medical and mental health care to support optimal maternal parenting and encourage optimal health outcomes for children with cancer.