Peer-reviewed article
Parenting quality and early childhood development: evidence from different rural subpopulations in China
Lei Wang, Lijuan Zheng, Yu Ping Bai, Sarah‐Eve Dill, Scott Rozelle ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined the relationship between parenting quality and early childhood development in 760 children aged 6-36 months across four rural subpopulations in China. The researchers found that most children experienced developmental delays, with 82% showing delays in at least one domain and over half showing delays in multiple areas. Parenting quality was significantly associated with child development outcomes, with higher maternal education, presence of the mother as primary caregiver, and greater family assets linked to better parenting quality. The findings suggest that improving family care quality could help reduce developmental delays in rural Chinese children.
Key points
- 82% of children had developmental delays in at least one domain (cognition, language, social-emotional, or motor)
- 53% of children had delays in at least two developmental areas; 27% had delays in three or more areas
- Low parenting quality in rural China is linked to high rates of developmental delays
- Maternal education levels, presence of mother as primary caregiver, and family asset values are positively associated with parenting quality
- The study recommends increased investment in family care to improve early childhood development
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional and cannot establish causality between parenting quality and developmental outcomes. The findings are specific to rural subpopulations in China and may not generalise to urban or other geographical contexts.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The quality of parenting can affect the developmental outcomes of young children. This study aims to investigate the associations between parenting quality and the early childhood development of children under age 3 across four major rural subpopulations in China. METHODS: Using a stratified cluster sampling method, 760 children aged 6-36 months and their primary caregivers in four rural subpopulations from four provinces and a metropolis in China were surveyed. Child development was assessed by the Third Edition of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Parenting quality was measured using the Family Care Indicators. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, multivariable regression analysis, and linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Across the four subpopulations, prevalences of delays of the sample children in four domains - cognition, language, social-emotional, and motor development are 52%, 45%, 52%, and 19%, respectively. The proportion of children with any type of delay is 82%, while over half (53%) have delays in at least two areas, and 27% have delays in three or more areas. Child's mother as the primary caregiver, maternal education levels, and family asset values are all positively associated with the quality of parenting. Notably, low levels of parenting quality in rural China are linked to high rates of developmental delays. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the level of parenting quality is significantly associated with early childhood developmental outcomes. Results highlight the need for raising investments in family care to improve early childhood development in different rural subpopulations in China.