A comparison of psychological resilience and related factors in Chinese firstborn and only children

The objective of this research is to compare psychological resilience in Chinese firstborn and only children and its relation to perceived parenting styles and child abuse. The results found that total psychological resilience score, and resilience subscales such as emotion control and goal focus mean scores of the firstborn child was significantly lower compared to the only child (Ps<0.05). The total psychological resilience scores of both male and female in firstborn children was significantly lower, when compared respectively to only children (Ps<0.01). Emotional warmth and understanding in both parents was positively correlated to total psychological resilience (Ps<0.01) in the only child. Severe punishment by the father and rejection/denial by the mother were factors negatively correlated to total psychological resilience score in the only child (Ps<0.01). Severe punishment and rejection/denial by the father and severe punishment by the mother was negatively correlated to total psychological resilience score in the firstborn child (Ps<0.05). Child abuse was negatively correlated to total psychological resilience (r=-0.246, P < 0.05) scores in the only child, and was negatively correlated to goal focus (r=-0.191, P < 0.05) and emotion control (r=-0.222, P < 0.05) scores in the first born child. In conclusion, the firstborn child had a lower psychological resilience score when compared to the only child, especially the female firstborn child. Negative perceived parenting style and child abuse were detrimental to psychological resilience.