A Comparison of American and Chinese Parenting, and Mechanisms Linking Parenting with Children’s Socioemotional and Academic Outcomes

• In Event: Social and Emotional Development Within the Family

Abstract

The scholarly literature has debated Chinese students’ high achievement in academic domains and the possible consequences of this high achievement on socioemotional development. This paper uses systematic search processes and a critical approach to review the literature on Chinese and American parenting practices and their associations with children’s academic and socioemotional outcomes, and to examine the extent to which these patterns of associations and the mechanisms underlying the associations are similar or different across these two cultures. We employ Dweck’s implicit theories of intelligence and Deci & Ryan’s self-determination theory to assist in elucidating the mechanisms underlying the associations.

To ensure equivalent samples and similar methodologies for comparison, inclusion criteria were concluded on studies with both American and Chinese samples, and with measures of parenting and child outcomes. 3946 studies were retrieved for title and abstract screening, through which 119 articles were identified for full-text review, and 89 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included for the critical review (see Figure 1).

Initial results indicated that Chinese cultural values on education influence parental socialization goals and expectations on academic achievement, which motivate parental high involvement in their children’s learning. Compared to American parents, Chinese parents generally set higher expectations, are more intensely involved, and exercise more control, all of which are positively associated with Chinese students’ academic performance (Chen, 2001; Cheung & Pomerantz, 2011; Li et al., 2014; Stevenson, 1993). Behavior control is associated with children’s positive academic outcomes in both American and Chinese cultures (Wang, et al.,2007); however, the effects of parental psychological control on children’s socioemotional outcomes vary depending on cultural orientation on independence or interdependence, how parents exert control, children’s interpretation of parental control, the aspects of psychological control measured, and its cultural normativeness (Chou and Chou, 2020; Doan et al., 2002; Lansford et al., 2017; Olsen et al., 2002). Parental success-oriented responses were linked to positive affect and psychological functioning in both American and Chinese children, whereas failure-oriented responses were beneficial to academic performance but related to lower academic self-efficacy and psychological functioning across both cultures (Eaton & Dembo, 1997; F. Ng et al., 2007; J. Ng et al., 2019). Failure-oriented responses implemented in a harsh manner may lead to fear of failure and lower self-esteem (Chen et al., 2021; Eaton & Dembo, 1997), whereas success-oriented responses delivered in an exaggerated manner may induce inflated self-esteem and feelings of superiority (Brummelman et al., 2017). Further, autonomy support is linked to positive affect and self-regulated learning across both cultures, with a stronger association in American culture (Manzi et al., 2012; Qin et al., 2009).

This review will contribute to the literature by providing an integrated understanding of the association between Chinese and American parenting behavior and children’s academic and socioemotional outcomes, and the mechanisms underlying the associations. It will address the gaps in the literature to guide future research endeavors.

Authors

• Joy Qiao, University of Utah
  Presenting Author

• Marissa L. Diener, University of Utah

• Mengyu (Miranda) Gao, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, China

• Lorelei Rutledge

• Alfred Mowdood