Parenting Styles, Parent-Child Communication, and Loneliness Among Chinese International Students: A Mixed-Methods Study

• In Event: AERA Research in Progress Roundtable Session Four
  In Invited Roundtable: Research-in-Progress RT065 (Saturday)

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between perceived parental rearing styles, parent-child communication (PCC), and loneliness among Chinese international students (CIS) in the United States. A mixed-methods approach was used, collecting quantitative survey data from 30 participants with the s-EMBU, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and a PCC questionnaire. Results indicated a significant negative correlation between parental warmth and loneliness (r = -0.369, p = 0.044), and a positive correlation between rejection and loneliness (r = 0.470, p = 0.008). Qualitative interviews with six students revealed that early parental warmth contributes to long-term emotional security, while rejection fosters distance. Current communication did not moderate parenting's impact on loneliness. The study emphasizes the lasting influence of early parenting and the need for culturally sensitive interventions.

Author

• Xiang Li, University of Pennsylvania