Parental beliefs about parental roles and responsibilities in Chinese parents : pioneer findings

Abstract

This study examined parental beliefs of 5,749 Chinese parents based on an indigenous scale developed in the Chinese context. Results showed that the scale and the subscales were internally consistent. Findings based on frequency analyses revealed that Chinese parents generally held positive beliefs about their roles and responsibilities in parenting. However, Chinese parents showed more conservative attitudes in educating children on sexuality issues. Some parents also did not realize the necessity of learning about parenting, implying that they may be ill-prepared for parenting. Further analyses revealed that mothers possessed stronger parental beliefs than fathers did. Parents with lower educational levels tended to be more conservative in parental beliefs. Family income and employment status were also identified to be predictors of parental beliefs. In general, parents with lower family income or being unemployed tended to hold stronger traditional beliefs about roles and responsibilities in parenting than did high-income or employed parents. The research findings underscore the importance of understanding parental beliefs in Chinese societies.