No parent wants to hear that their kid turned out to be a bully, but it seems they may be the reason it happened. According to a study by the University of Vermont, kids who are stressed out because of controlling parents are more likely to be mean to their friends.

The study looked at 180 mostly female college students, monitoring them with sensors for changes in sweat, which indicates stress levels. They were then asked about painful events involving someone close to them, with those who sweated more likely to react quickly and be more hot tempered, while those who sweated less were more likely to think through their response. They then asked the subjects about their parents.

What they found was that the students with high-controlling parents had higher rates of aggression. “Less-controlling parents created less aggression,” explained the study’s author Professor Jamie Abaied.   “Good parenting prevents them from being aggressive in their peer relationships.”

And while it may seem odd that this behavior occurs in college students who are basically adults, Abaied says that since most look to their parents for emotional and financial support they are still stressed by their controlling ways.

Source: The Daily Mail