The Influences of Father Involvement on Children’s Development in China

Abstract

The history of father involvement studies showed the importance of father involvement in children’s development. Researchers build theoretical models to explain why father involvement impacts children’s development. Compared to the increasing research on father involvement in western academics, there is a comparatively small number of studies relative to father involvement in China. The lack of research on father involvement in China may depend on the traditional Chinese cultural value of fatherhood. However, the Chinese fathers’ role evolved during the time change, contributing to scholars’ focus on the significance of father involvement in China. Thus, this article reviews past literature to investigate the theoretical mechanism of how father involvement affects children’s development, the evolution of Chinese father role, and the effects of father involvement on children’s development in China. Moreover, this article will also mention some suggestions for future Chinese father involvement research.