Child-rearing attitudes and behavioral inhibition in Chinese and Canadian toddlers: a cross-cultural study

Abstract

Behavioral inhibition data were collected from samples of 2-year-olds from the People's Republic of China and Canada. Information on child-rearing attitudes and beliefs was obtained from mothers of the children. Chinese toddlers were significantly more inhibited than their Canadian counterparts. Inhibition was associated positively with mothers' punishment orientation and negatively with mothers' acceptance and encouragement of achievement in the Canadian sample. However, the directions of the relations were opposite in the Chinese sample; child inhibition was associated positively with mothers' warm and accepting attitudes and negatively with rejection and punishment orientation. The results indicated different adaptational meanings of behavioral inhibition across cultures.