Parent-child relationships and Chinese children's social adaptations: Gender difference in parent-child dyads

Based on data from 1,366 Chinese preschoolers aged 31-77 months from 62 preschools, this study compared differences among four parent-child dyads in parent-child relationships and the associations between parent-child relationships and children's social adaptations. According to the results, the same-sex dyad and opposite-sex dyad patterns were tested. The results showed the same-sex dyad and opposite-sex dyad patterns in parent-child closeness. Mother-daughter dyads had more closeness than mother-son dyads; father-daughter dyads had more closeness than father-son dyads. The results were more supportive of the same-sex dyad pattern in the associations between parent-child relationships and social adaptations. Mother-child closeness predicted girls' greater social skills and fewer problem behaviors; father-child conflict predicted boys' worse social skills and greater problem behaviors.