The Impact of Family Socialization Practices on Children's Socialization in China

Abstract

The impact of Chinese family socialization practices on children's socialization was examined in this four-year longitudinal study. Questionnaires about family child-rearing practices and children's socialization were completed by the parents of 52 young children on two occasions, four years apart. The average age of the children at the end of the four-year study was 9.5 years. A structural equations model was proposed and used to examine several hypotheses about the impact of family practice on children's socialization over time. The model was tested using LISREL procedures, and the results indicated a good data fit for the model (χ2 (50, N = 52) = 55.46, p >. 2). The three factors used in the model to measure family socialization practice (parental use of reasoning, intellectual stimulation, and encouragement of children to be independent) were significant indicators of overall family socialization practices. The three factors used in the model to indicate children's development (self-control, positive attitude toward others, and positive attitude toward work) were significant indicators of children's overall socialization. Four out of the five hypotheses, as measured by paths in the model, were found to be statistically significant. Statistically significant (p <.05) paths were found for parents' socialization practices over four years (γ21 = .998), family socialization practices to children's socialization on both occasions (γ11 = .533, β32 = .405), and family child-rearing practices to children's socialization over four years (γ11 x β31 + γ21 x β32 = .568).