Validity and Reliability Studies of Helicopter Parenting Scales (HPS) For Adolescents and Parents

In this study, two instruments were developed to determine the perceived helicopter parenting levels of adolescents and parents. The study group consisted of 564 adolescents (343 female, 216 male) and 521 parents (306 mothers and 215 fathers) attending high schools in the central districts of Ankara. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis conducted on the adolescent and parent scales, which consisted of 42 items each as a pre-test form, a two-factor structure with 26 items in the adolescent scale and a two-factor structure with 24 items in the parent scale was obtained. As a result of the confirmatory factor analyses conducted on the obtained constructs, the factor structures for each version were statistically confirmed. Analyses conducted on the convergent validity and criterion-related validity of the scales revealed that the helicopter parenting construct to be measured with the adolescent and parent scales had a valid structure with a separate scope. It was concluded that the internal consistency of the scales in the sub-factors and total score was quite high. Finally, since helicopter parenting is a parenting practice in which normally exhibited parenting behaviors are applied excessively and frequently, a standardisation analysis was conducted on both scale data and cut-off points were calculated for the scales. It has been established that the Adolescent and Parent Versions of Helicopter Parenting Scale (HPS) are reliable and valid instruments that can be utilized in school and family counseling research and practices.