Abstract
Previous research has assessed ways that parenting behaviors, such as warmth and control, uniquely predict young adult internalizing symptoms; however, profiles of parenting incorporating multiple dimensions in tandem may more accurately characterize these behaviors and how they affect young adult well-being. This study aimed to identify profiles of maternal parenting emerging from warmth, psychological control, behavioral control, helicopter parenting, and autonomy support in two undergraduate samples, as well as their associations with students’ internalizing symptoms. Sample 1 (N = 409) was collected 8 months into the COVID-19 pandemic and Sample 2 (N = 324) was collected 5 months later. Latent profile analyses supported a 3-profile solution for both samples. Derived profiles identified maternal parenting that was 1) cold and controlling, 2) moderately high in control and helicopter parenting and moderately low in warmth and autonomy support, and 3) warm and autonomy granting. In both samples, students in the moderately controlling and cold, controlling profiles reported greater depressive symptoms than students in the warm and autonomy granting profile, a pattern that was found to be specific to females in Sample 2. Findings emphasize the value of examining constellations of parenting across domains and highlight the importance of maternal parenting for college students’ internalizing symptoms.