Does Harsh Parenting Really Harm? A Systematic Review of Studies in China

Abstract

China has a high prevalence of child maltreatment and a culture accepting of harsh parenting with no consensus regarding its adverse outcomes. The current study seeks to address this issue by synthesising the effects of harsh parenting on the socio-emotional outcomes of Chinese children and youths through a systematic review of relevant literature. A systematic search was conducted to collect articles published from 1991 to 2021 based on the PRISMA guidelines. This study captured the bivariate relationships between harsh parenting and the socio-emotional outcomes of children and youths between the ages of 6–17. Forty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. Three domains of socio-emotional outcomes, including internalising problems, externalising problems, and social outcomes were identified. Studies consistently reported evidence of the significant association between harsh parenting and various externalising problems. However, mixed results were found regarding the association between harsh parenting and internalising problems. No study examined the physical health outcomes. More research is needed to further clarify the relationship between harsh parenting and internalising problems as well as health outcomes.