Parents In Shanghai Research Articles

An exploratory study of mainland Chinese parents’ ideologies about bilingualism and bilingual education

ABSTRACT The current study investigates mainland Chinese parents’ ideologies on bilingualism and biliteracy, specifically for those who chose Mandarin-English bilingual education for their children. We explored children’s language and literacy usage at home as they attend school with Mandarin and English as the instructional languages. Three hundred and eight survey responses were collected from parents in Shanghai, China. Results from an exploratory factor analysis showed that parents generally held positive attitudes toward both bilingualism and bidialectalism. Additionally, multiple correspondence analyses demonstrated that parents who reported more multilingual usage in daily conversation at home with their children generally aspired for their children to develop an identity of being a global citizen, whereas parents who reported more Mandarin literacy activities engagement typically expected their children to (a) have a flexible mind for learning regardless of the instructional language, (b) become internationally competitive, and (c) be communicative within diverse social groups. It is suggested that parental perceptions of the importance of bilingualism and bidialectalism should be taken into consideration in curriculum planning and language policy making. Understanding parents’ perception of bilingualism may facilitate schools to partner with parents and devise responsive language education goals in schools.

Complex interplay of science reasoning and vaccine hesitancy among parents in Shanghai, China

The psychosocial underpinnings of vaccine hesitancy are complex. Research is needed to pinpoint the exact reasons why people hesitate to vaccinate themselves or their children against vaccine-preventable diseases. One possible reason are concerns that arise from a misunderstanding of vaccine science. We examined the impact of scientific reasoning on vaccine hesitancy and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination intent through a cross-sectional study of parents of vaccine-eligible children (N = 399) at immunization clinics in Shanghai, China. We assessed the relationship between science reasoning and both vaccine hesitancy and HPV vaccine acceptance using general additive models. We found a significant association between scientific reasoning and education level, with those with less than a high school education having a significantly lower scientific reasoning that those with a college education (ß = -1.31, p-value = 0.002). However, there was little evidence of a relationship between scientific reasoning and vaccine hesitancy. Scientific reasoning therefore appears not to exert primary influence on the formation of vaccine attitudes among the respondents surveyed. We suggest that research on vaccine hesitancy continues working to identify the styles of reasoning parents engage in when determining whether or not to vaccinate their children. This research could inform the development and implementation of tailored vaccination campaigns.

Migrant Optimism in Educational Aspirations for Children in Big Cities in China: A Case Study of Native, Permanent Migrant and Temporary Migrant Parents in Shanghai

Migrant Optimism in Educational Aspirations for Children in Big Cities in China: A Case Study of Native, Permanent Migrant and Temporary Migrant Parents in Shanghai

Cultural values, parenting, and child adjustment in China.

To examine whether parents' cultural values are related to parenting practices and children's behavioural adjustment, mothers, fathers and children (N = 218) from two cities in China (Jinan and Shanghai) were interviewed when children were, on average, 10 years old. Mothers and fathers reported their endorsement of cultural values (individualism, collectivism, conformity), which were used to separately predict warmth and family obligation expectations reported by each parent, as well as children's report of parental psychological control, rule setting, knowledge solicitation and perceived family obligation expectations. Cross-informant (parents and child) composites of internalising and externalising behaviours were also obtained. The results showed that maternal individualism positively predicted parents' knowledge solicitation. Parental collectivism positively predicted their own warmth and family obligation expectations. Mothers' conformity positively predicted mothers' family obligation expectations, paternal warmth and children's perception of family obligation, whereas fathers' conformity only positively predicted fathers' family obligation expectations. These effects were largely consistent across regional subsamples, although mothers in Jinan were more collectivistic than mothers in Shanghai, and parents in Shanghai adopted less psychological control and more knowledge solicitation in parenting.

Parenting Practices and Children’s Quality of Life in China: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem

Abstract Drawing upon a sample of 1,482 primary school students and their parents in Shanghai, China, this study investigated the relationship between parenting practices, children’s self-esteem and children’s quality of life. The results from the correlation analysis and structural equation modelling showed that parenting practices were significantly associated with children’s quality of life. In addition, children’s self-esteem could mediate the relationship between parenting practices and children’s quality of life. Children’s self-esteem can promote the positive effects of positive parenting practices and alleviate the negative effects of negative parenting practices on their quality of life. Interventions could consider strengthening positive parenting skills and children’s self-esteem to improve children’s quality of life.

Towards Better Cultural Enlightenment: Identify Chinese Preschoolers’ Cultural Cognition Traits and Predictors

ABSTRACT Research Findings: The current study explored the average levels, latent profiles, and predictors of preschoolers’ cultural cognition, in a sample of 8774 preschoolers’ parents in Shanghai, China. Parents with children aged 3–6 years completed measures of Cultural Cognition Scale for Preschoolers (CCSP) which was newly developed and validated. First, the psychometric properties indicated that CCSP was a reliable and valid scale with four constructs: cultural knowledge, cultural interest, cultural identity, and cultural practice. Second, preschoolers negatively performed in cultural cognition with few high-quality cultural practices and limited fundamental cultural knowledge. Third, the latent profile analysis yielded low-(28.0%), middle-(53.8%), and high-level(18.2%) profiles of parent reports, differentiated by parental education, child age, child gender, preschool rating, and location. Last but not least, a hierarchical regression analysis predicting preschoolers’ cultural cognition found that child age, child gender, and parental education had critical effects. In addition, interaction effects were found between parental education and child age on cultural knowledge, as well as between child age and gender on cultural practice. Practice or Policy: This study provides a useful tool to understand and evaluate preschoolers’ cultural cognition ability. The findings imply that excellent national cultural enlightenment education with more high-quality cultural activities for preschoolers needs additional focus. Besides, the characteristics of the children with the identified profiles and the family factors related to cultural cognition serve as a reference to better advance children's humanistic literacy.

From Access to Quality? Examining the Interim Quasi-State Schools for Rural Migrants in Urban China

This article focuses on the educational quality of the newly emerged quasi-state schools for rural migrant children in urban China. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 government officers, school leaders, teachers and migrant parents in Shanghai. Adopting a theoretical perspective of policy as a temporary settlement of interests, the article deconstructs the power relations that constructed the disadvantaged positionality of these schools in the local school system. What can be identified from the empirical data is the emergence of an “interim quasi-state school system” with three interrelated features: it belongs to the state sector, offers quasi-state education and has an interim nature. Under the local government’s low-cost and inferior schooling approach, the whole system is treated as an emergency mechanism for solving the floating children’s schooling problem, rather than as regular schools offering high quality education. While realising the children’s right to education, this system does not guarantee them a “good” education.

Sensitivity to COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness and Safety in Shanghai, China.

Several COVID-19 vaccines have been on the market since early 2021 and may vary in their effectiveness and safety. This study characterizes hesitancy about accepting COVID-19 vaccines among parents in Shanghai, China, and identifies how sensitive they are to changes in vaccine safety and effectiveness profiles. Schools in each township of Minhang District, Shanghai, were sampled, and parents in the WeChat group of each school were asked to participate in this cross-sectional Internet-based survey. Parents responded to questions about hesitancy and were given information about five different COVID-19 vaccine candidates, the effectiveness of which varied between 50 and 95% and which had a risk of fever as a side effect between 5 and 20%. Overall, 3673 parents responded to the survey. Almost 90% would accept a vaccine for themselves (89.7%), for their child (87.5%) or for an elderly parent (88.5%) with the most ideal attributes (95% effectiveness with 5% risk of fever). But with the least ideal attributes (50% effectiveness and a 20% risk of fever) these numbers dropped to 33.5%, 31.3%, and 31.8%, respectively. Vaccine hesitancy, age at first child’s birth, and relative income were all significantly related to sensitivity to vaccine safety and effectiveness. Parents showed a substantial shift in attitudes towards a vaccine based on its safety and effectiveness profile. These findings indicate that COVID-19 vaccine acceptance may be heavily influenced by how effective the vaccine actually is and could be impeded or enhanced based on vaccines already on the market.

Shanghai Parents' Perception And Attitude Towards The Use Of Antibiotics On Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundParents play an important role in the management of their children’s illnesses, including in decisions concerning how and whether to use antibiotics. This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude towards antibiotics usage among young parents from different areas in Shanghai and to identify contributing factors of antibiotics usage that are comprehensible for parents.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at vaccination clinics of three community health centers from April to June 2017. Primary guardians who took children for vaccination under the national expanded immunization program were invited to participate.ResultsOf the 1368 young parents interviewed, 78.4% of them have taken their children for medical treatment, and 68.9% of their children have taken antibiotics. Parents with education level of senior high school (OR=1.850, 95% CI: 1.214–2.818), or university/college, or above (OR=3.950, 95% CI: 2.604–5.991), and parents with high-income (OR=1.360, 95% CI: 1.013–1.827) have better comprehension of antibiotics. It is found that parents who deny the existence of antibiotic abuse in China (OR=1.857, 95% CI: 1.100–3.135), who have lower income (OR=1.536, 95% CI: 1.074–2.197) and who have antibiotics prescribed by doctors (OR=1.473, 95% CI: 1.048–2.070) are associated with those incorrect practices.ConclusionLack of knowledge and poor perception of antibiotics usage are found among young parents in Shanghai. Intervention should be conducted to publicize the rational use of antibiotics, reduce the rate of inappropriate behaviors and limit the sale of antibiotics.

Life Restoration and Future Care Preparation Among Older Parents in Shanghai Who Have Lost Their Only Adult Child.

The combination of aging and losing their only adult child challenges an increasing number of older adults in China. Current literature primarily focuses on older parents' bereavement but seldom examines their effort to cope with subsequent life changes brought about by only-child loss. This study explores how older parents in Shanghai who lost their only adult child restore their lives and prepare for future care. Twenty-four older adults were purposively sampled and participated in face-to-face, in-depth interviews. The findings suggest that participants tried to restore their lives by rationalizing grief and expanding their social networks. Despite their losses, participants remained in favor of family caregiving and reluctantly prepared for future care. Their ambivalent attitudes toward government support call for caution in approaches to service delivery.

Safety awareness and use of child safety seats among parents after the legislation in Shanghai

PurposeTo investigate the changes and underlying mechanisms in parents' safety awareness and the use of child safety seats after the mandatory legislation in Shanghai city, China. MethodsThis study was carried out by Shanghai Key Laboratory of Environment and Children's Health using a multi-stage, simple random sampling method. Volunteers with children aged 0–12 months were recruited. Child safety seats were sent to each volunteer's family. Telephone encounters and/or on-site visits were used to collect data from parents using a phased survey on children's safety during car use. ResultsAmong all respondents, 91.2% had heard of motor vehicle accidents involving children, and 97.2% could describe the appropriate use of a safety seat to minimize the risk of child injury in a collision. Among 1078 families with newborns, awareness of child safety seats was 91.9%. There were 86% patients aware that new laws and regulations have been released regarding the use of child safety seats, and 98.5% of them plan to comply with the new laws. Moreover, 61% patients think that taxis should be routinely equipped with child safety seats. ConclusionThe parents in Shanghai obtained a high level of awareness of children's traffic safety after the introduction of child safety seats legislation, and had a positive experience related to the use of child safety seats. Taxi may be an important area of focus for implementation of child traffic safety. Traffic safety laws and regulations with further impact should be continuously studied.

The role of severity perceptions and beliefs in natural infections in Shanghai parents\u2019 vaccine decision-making: a qualitative study

BackgroundChina has reduced incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases through its Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI). Vaccines outside of the EPI are not provided for free by the government, however. This study explored how the stated importance of different disease and vaccine-related attributes interacted with beliefs about the immune system of a child to affect Chinese parents’ decision to obtain a non-EPI vaccine.MethodsMothers and fathers of young children at immunization clinics in Shanghai, China, were interviewed about vaccine decision-making and what attributes of a disease were important when making this decision. An inductive thematic analysis explored their beliefs about disease attributes and how these related to vaccination decisions.ResultsAmong the 34 interviews, severity of the disease—particularly in causing long-term disability—was the most commonly cited factor influencing a parent’s decision to get a vaccine for their child. Many parents believed that natural infection was preferable to vaccination, as long as disease was not severe, and many were concerned that imported vaccines were inadequate for Chinese children’s physical constitutions. All these beliefs could influence the decision to vaccinate.ConclusionsMany parents do not appear to understand how and why vaccines can support development of a healthy immune system. Because severity emerged as parents’ overriding concern when making decisions about vaccines, marketing for a childhood vaccine could focus on the severe condition that a vaccine can protect against.

Effects of Social Capital in Multiple Contexts on the Psychosocial Adjustment of Chinese Migrant Children

Drawing upon a sample of 772 migrant children and their parents in Shanghai, China, this study used an ecological framework to investigate how social capital embedded in a range of social contexts (i.e., family, school, peer, and community) influenced the psychosocial adjustment of Chinese migrant children. Using structural equation modeling with latent variables, the study results suggested that higher levels of family, school, and peer social capital were all associated with better psychosocial adjustment of migrant children, with school social capital showing the strongest effect. In addition, these three dimensions of social capital also mediated the effect of community social capital on children’s psychosocial adjustment. Implications of these findings for theory, practice, and future research were discussed.

Internet Supervision and Parenting in the Digital Age: The Case of Shanghai

This research paper explored the issue of parenting confidence in internet supervision in Shanghai. It examined the methods used by Shanghai parents in supervising children’s Internet use, the confidence of parents in helping children to benefit from the Internet and protect them from possible threats, and the factors affecting parents’ confidence in their parenting practices. Data were collected from a household survey with a representative sample of 796 low-income families and 799 non-low-income families. Post-stratified weighting was applied to obtain representation of families with children aged 9-17 in Shanghai. Our findings show that Shanghai parents used restriction most frequently in internet supervision. More than one-fifth of parents had limited confidence in helping their children benefit from the Internet and one-eighth in protecting their children from possible Internet threats. Multiple regression models show that better Internet knowledge, an authoritative parenting style, more involvement in children’s online activities and a positive attitude towards the Internet are factors which were associated with higher parenting confidence in internet supervision. Findings suggest that efforts in assisting parents review their attitude towards the Internet and learn new supervision methods are important, especially for parents on the lower socio-economic strata.

Analysis of residents' willingness to pay to reduce air pollution to improve children's health in community and hospital settings in Shanghai, China

BackgroundShanghai, along with many major cities in China, faces deterioration of air quality and increases in air pollution-related respiratory diseases (RDs) in children due to rapid industrialization and urbanization. The Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) was used to qualitatively and quantitatively measure the willingness to pay (WTP) for reducing children's RDs through air quality improvement. Methods: Between April and May, 2014, 975 face-to-face interviews were collected from parents in a community-based and a hospital-setting in Shanghai. Multiple imputation and the Probit model were used to determine the relationship between the WTP and the related environmental factors, child health factors and the socio-economic status. ResultsMost respondents reported being willing to make a financial contribution to improve air quality in both the community (52.6%) and hospital (70.2%) samples. Those in the hospital setting were willing to pay significantly more ¥504 (USD$80.7) compared to the community sample ¥428 ($68.5) as expected. Reasons for those not being willing to pay included lack of disposable income and believing that responsibility of the air quality was a community issue. These did not differ by sample. Annual household income and education were related to WTP. ConclusionThis study indicated that parents in Shanghai would be willing to pay for improved air quality. Children's health can be the incentive for the citizens' participation and support in the air quality improvement, therefore, hospital settings may present unique places to improve education about air quality and enhance advocacy efforts. This study also suggested that future environmental policies be addressed more rigorously for targeted populations.

Social capital in promoting the psychosocial adjustment of chinese migrant children: interaction across contexts

AbstractDrawing upon a sample of 772 migrant children and their parents in Shanghai, China, this study investigated how the interactions of social capital embedded in a range of social contexts (i.e., family, school, peer, and community) influenced the psychosocial adjustment of Chinese migrant children. Results of multiple‐group structural equation modeling revealed a moderating effect of community social capital on the associations between other dimensions of social capital and child psychosocial adjustment. Family social capital showed stronger effects when there was higher community social capital, while school social capital appeared to be most influential for children with lower community social capital. Peer social capital showed comparable effects on psychosocial adjustment regardless of the stock of community social capital, but was most important for children with limited resources in both the community and school. Implications of the research findings for theory, practice, policy and future research are discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.