Parenting and Delinquency: Findings from a Mixed Methods Study in China

• In Event: Parenting and Delinquency: International Research

Abstract

Parenting practices have been shown as important mechanisms in preventing delinquent attitude and behavior. Because of lack of empirical studies, limited scientific knowledge exists about the relationship between parenting and delinquency in China. To narrow this gap, the current research collected data in a mixed methods design that includes a questionnaire survey of a probability sample of 3,150 middle and high school students and 74 in-depth interviews with a selected group of students, parents and teachers. Through qualitative and quantitative analyses of the data, the study addressed the following questions: How do socioeconomic status and family background affect the style and quality of parenting practices in the contemporary Chinese society? How are parenting practices related to child developmental outcomes including normative belief, psychological wellbeing, and delinquency? What are the mechanisms through which parenting practices influence delinquent attitude and behavior? How do interparental relationships modify the influences of parenting practices on delinquency?

Author

• Spencer D. Li, University of Macau