Physical, achievement and personality characteristics of Chinese children
Falbo, T.; Poston, D.L.; Ji, G.; Jiao, S.; Jing, Q.; Wang, S.; Gu, Q.; Yin, H.; Liu, Y.
Journal of Biosocial Science 21(4): 483-495
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-9320 PMID: 2808476 DOI: 10.1017/s0021932000018228Document Number: 356235
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.