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Physical, achievement and personality characteristics of Chinese children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

T. Falbo ,
D. L. Poston ,
G. Ji ,
S. Jiao ,
Q. Jing ,
S. Wang ,
Q. Gu ,
H. Yin  and
Y. Liu
T. Falbo
Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin, USA
D. L. Poston
Affiliation:
Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
G. Ji
Affiliation:
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
S. Jiao
Affiliation:
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
Q. Jing
Affiliation:
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
S. Wang
Affiliation:
Jilin University, Changchun, China
Q. Gu
Affiliation:
Jilin University, Changchun, China
H. Yin
Affiliation:
Jilin University, Changchun, China
Y. Liu
Affiliation:
Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Summary

The physical, achievement, and personality characteristics of Chinese schoolchildren are evaluated. The results of two surveys of Chinese schoolchildren, conducted in Beijing and Jilin Province, are presented. In the Beijing sample, the differences between only children and others were small but statistically significant, with the only children having higher scores in achievement and physical size. In the Jilin Province sample, the differences between only children and others were also small but significant. These differences were found entirely in physical characteristics, with only children being smaller, perhaps because the only children in the Jilin sample were much younger than the non-only children. Analyses of the combined sample of Beijing and Jilin schoolchildren indicated that the only-child advantages in achievement were found among children from urban families, not rural peasant families. While significant differences in height and weight were found in all three samples, none of the results indicated a significant difference in the proportion of body fat. None of the analyses indicated that only children had undesirable personalities, as judged by teachers and mothers.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 21 , Issue 4 , October 1989 , pp. 483 - 496
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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