| Summary: | In 1979, to reduce a rapidly growing population, China implemented a one-child
policy restricting new families to one child. Since then, educators, psychologists and
sociologists have studied the social and emotional development of Chinese only children. At
present, controversy exists regarding the positive and negative influences of being an only
child on Chinese adolescents' development. Early research focused on cognitive and
academic achievement and neglected to examine social and emotional development. While
more recent research is aimed at exploring the social and emotional development of only
children, this research is largely quantitative and reflects assessment measures. Qualitative
research that elicits the experiences of adolescents is urgently needed.
This research addressed the research gap in the current literature in the areas of
social and emotional development and Chinese adolescents as only children by eliciting the
unique perspective of adolescents. Their experiences were documented through qualitative
interviews that elicited their perspectives on social relationships with parents and extended
family members, as well as perspectives on pressure and coping strategies. This investigation
identified significant themes for Chinese educators, policy-makers and parents. For example,
adolescents experienced the love and support of their parents and noted that parents played
significant roles; adolescents experienced pressures related to academics, exams and parental
expectations, and; some adolescents adopted an active coping strategy to manage their
pressures, while some used an avoidant coping strategy to dodge their pressures.
Recommendations based on the research findings that are unique to China's social context
are made. === Education, Faculty of === Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of === Graduate
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