Conflict or harmony? The impact of family cultural diversity on children's educational attainment

Abstract

Studies have shown that various aspects of family are important for children's educational outcomes, but the intangible family cultural environment has often been overlooked. In particular, culturally diverse families are becoming more common, but how family cultural diversity affects parental behavior and children's development remains unclear. Using data from a nationally representative survey in China, and employing propensity score matching and an instrumental variable approach to address potential endogeneity, we examine the impact of family cultural diversity on children's educational attainment. We find that the cultural difference between parents has a significant positive effect on their children's years of schooling. Family cultural diversity enhances children's educational attainment through promoting family harmony. The process of adapting to cultural differences in the family, rather than causing family conflict, promotes a harmonious atmosphere with effective communication, which is beneficial for children's educational outcomes.