Family Types and Children's Socio-Communicative Style: A Chinese Investigation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of family types and gender on children's socio-communicative style in Chinese culture. Three major findings were generated. First, family types affect children's socio-communicative style. Children from consensual and pluralistic family types tend to be more assertive and responsive than children from protective and laissez-faire family types in Chinese culture. Second, Chinese children are more responsive than assertive, and significant gender differences are found in responsiveness, but not in assertiveness. Chinese daughters are more responsive than sons, but they do not differ in assertiveness. Last, the Socio-Communicative Style Scale and the Revised Family Communication Pattern Instrument conform to the two-factor model with a Chinese sample.