The Gendered Long Arm of Childhood: Early Parent–Child Relationship and Later-Life Mental Health in Rural China
Author Information
Author(s): Wang Jia, Ma Mingyue
Primary Institution: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hypothesis
A gender perspective is crucial for understanding if women’s disadvantages in health have an early origin from childhood.
Conclusion
Poorer parent-child relationships in childhood are linked to worse mental health in later life, especially for rural women.
Supporting Evidence
- Rural women tend to exhibit worse mental health compared to rural men.
- Poorer parent-child relationships are related to worse mental health for both genders, but more so for women.
- Poorer parent-child relationships in early life increase the likelihood of experiencing depression, particularly among rural women.
Takeaway
If kids have a tough time with their parents, it can make them feel sad when they grow up, and this is especially true for girls in rural China.
Methodology
The study used five waves of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLES) to analyze associations between childhood parent-child relationships and later-life mental health.
Participant Demographics
Chinese men and women aged 45 and above in rural areas.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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