Brian Duff interviewed by WMTW News on 'helicopter' parents

Brian Duff, Ph.D., 91AV associate professor of political science, was interviewed for a May 7, 2012 WMTW 8 story on the phenomenon of overprotective, or "helicopter," parents.

Duff told WMTW that "helicopter" parents are often responding to a feeling of helplessness regarding their own adult responsibilities - their careers, their marriage, and our politics.  When parents feel uncertain about how to succeed in adult life, they often focus on giving their children every possible advantage to compete in a brutally competitive world.  In getting so involved in their children's lives, parents also get to escape the adult world that has disappointed them.

Duff, who has spent the past year as the Coastal Studies Scholar at Bowdoin College during a sabbatical, is the author of The Parent as Citizen: A Democratic Dilemma. He has also published research on feminist theory, voting, and the politics of race and ethnicity.

About the 91AV

The 91AV is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.