Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Chinese Construction of Adolescent Development Outcome: Themes Discerned in a Qualitative Study

  • Published:
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Although there are well-known theories of adolescent development in the West, there is a notable lack of theory and empirical support for understanding the outcome of Chinese adolescent development. This paper examines the cultural themes that account for Chinese–Canadian parents’ and adolescent’s construction of adolescent development outcome. A qualitative study approach was used to explore the experiences and views of 19 adolescents and 10 of their parents. Four major themes identified reflect deep-rooted cultural effects. These themes include: be a good person (self-cultivation), be a good child (filial piety), be a self-reliance person to honor family (Chinese familism), and be a mature person (the quest for harmony and other-related attributes). A concept of “self in relational networks” is therefore proposed for understanding the unique outcome of Chinese adolescent development in the Chinese–Canadian context. “Self in relational network,” in this context, refers to the development of a web of good fitting, harmonious, appropriately positioned, and socially acceptable interpersonal relationships in the adult world. The view reflects the indigenous concept of “guanxi” in Chinese culture.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • M. H. Bond (1986) The psychology of the Chinese people Oxford University Press Hong Kong

    Google Scholar 

  • M. H. Bond (1991) Beyond the Chinese face: Insights from psychology Oxford University Press Hong Kong

    Google Scholar 

  • M. H. Bond K. K. Hwang (1986) The social psychology of Chinese people M. H. Bond (Eds) The psychology of the Chinese people Oxford University Press Hong Kong 213–266

    Google Scholar 

  • M. H. Bond K. Leung K. Wan (1982) ArticleTitleThe social impact of self-effacing attributes: The Chinese case Journal of Social Psychology 118 156–166

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Chan C. W. Leong (1994) ArticleTitleChinese families in transition: Cultural conflicts and adjustment problem Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless 3 IssueID3 263–281

    Google Scholar 

  • R. K. Chao (1994) ArticleTitleBeyond parental control and authoritarian parenting style: Understanding Chinese parenting through the cultural notion of training Child Development 65 1111–1119 Occurrence Handle7956468

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • R. K. Chao (1995) ArticleTitleChinese and European American cultural models of the self reflected mothers’ childrearing beliefs Ethos 23 IssueID3 328–354

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameChinese Culture Connection (1987) ArticleTitleChinese values and the search for culture-free dimensions of culture Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 18 143–164

    Google Scholar 

  • N. K. Denzin (1989) Interpretive interactionism Sage Newbury Park, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • G. DeVos (1973) Socialization for achievement: Essays on the cultural psychology of the Japanese University of California Press Berkeley

    Google Scholar 

  • D. S. Dien (1983) ArticleTitleBig me and little me: A Chinese perspective on self Psychiatry 46 281–286 Occurrence Handle6622603

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • S. M. Dornbusch P. L Ritter P. H. Leiderman D. F. Roberts M. J. Fraleigh (1987) ArticleTitleThe relation of parenting style to adolescent school performance Child Development 58 1244–1257 Occurrence Handle3665643

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gao, G. (1994). Self and other: A Chinese perspective on interpersonal elationships.Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, Sydney, July 1994.

  • G Gao S. Ting-Toomy W. Gudykunst (1996) Chinese communication process M. H. Bond (Eds) The handbook of Chinese psychology Oxford University Press Hong Kong

    Google Scholar 

  • C. Geertz (1973) The interpretation of cultures Basic Books New York

    Google Scholar 

  • C. Geertz (1983) Local knowledge: Further essays in interpretive anthropology Basic Books New York

    Google Scholar 

  • K. J. Gergen (1985) ArticleTitleThe social constructionist movement in modern psychology American Psychologist 40 IssueID3 266–275

    Google Scholar 

  • J. F. Gilgun K. Dally G. Handel (Eds) (1992) Qualitative methods in family research Sage Newbury Park, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • B. G. Glaser A. L. Strauss (1967) The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research Aldine de Gruyte New York

    Google Scholar 

  • R. M. Grinnell (1993) Social work research and evaluation EditionNumber4 F.E. Peacock Itasca, Illinois

    Google Scholar 

  • E. T. Hall (1977) Beyond culture Ancor, Doubleday Garden City, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Hill (1987) ArticleTitleResearch on adolescents and their families: Past and their families: Past and Prospect New Directions for Child Development 37 13–31 Occurrence Handle3331417

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • D. Y. F. Ho (1981) ArticleTitleTraditional patterns of socialization in Chinese society Acta Psychologica Taiwanica 23 IssueID2 81–95

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Y. F. Ho (1994) Cognitive socialization in Confucian heritage cultures P. Greenfield R. Cocking (Eds) Cross-cultural roots of minority child development Erlbaum Hillsdale, NJ 39–69

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Y. F. Ho T. K. Kang (1984) ArticleTitleIntergenerational comparisons of child- rearing attitudes and practices in Hong Kong Developmental Psychology 20 IssueID6 1004–1016

    Google Scholar 

  • F. L. K. Hsu (1963) Clan, caste and club: A comparative study of Chinese, Hindu, and American ways of life Van Nostrand Princeton, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • F. L. K. Hsu (1972) Americans and Chinese: Reflections on two cultures and their people American Museum of Science Books New York

    Google Scholar 

  • F. L. K. Hsu (1981) Americans and Chinese: Passage to Differences EditionNumber3 University of Hawaii Press Honolulu

    Google Scholar 

  • F. L. K. Hsu (1985) The self in cross-cultural perspective A. J. Marsella G. DeVos F. L. K. Hsu (Eds) Culture and self: Asian and Western perspectives Tavistock New York 24–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Kagan, J. A. (1971). A conception of early adolescence. Daedalus, fall, 997–1012

  • Kao, H. S. R. & Hong, N. S. (1998). Minimal ‘self’ and Chinese work behavior: Psychology of the grass-roots. In D. Sinha & H. S. R. Kao (Eds.), Social values and development: Asian perspective (pp. 254–272). Sage Publications

  • M. L. Kelly H. M. Tsang (1992) ArticleTitleCultural differences in child rearing: A comparison of immigrant Chinese and Caucasian American mothers Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology 23 IssueID4 444–455

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Y. C. King M. H. Bond (1985) The Confucian paradigm of man: A sociological view W. S. Tsang D. Wu (Eds) Chinese culture and mental health Academic Press London 29–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Lam, C. M. (2003). Covert parental control: Parent-adolescent interaction and adolescent development in a Chinese context. Int. J. Adolesc. Med. Health, 15(1), 63--77

    Google Scholar 

  • C. M. Lam (1998) ArticleTitleAdolescent development in the Canadian–Chinese immigrant families: A theoretical framework Canadian Social Work Review 15 IssueID2 177–191

    Google Scholar 

  • C. M. Lam (1997) ArticleTitleA cultural perspective on the study of Chinese adolescent development Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 14 IssueID2 95–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Y. W. Lao (1988) On harmony: The Confucian view S. H. Liu E. Allinson (Eds) Harmony and strife, contemporary perspectives, east and west Chinese Universiyt Press Hong Kong 187–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Lau, S. (1996). Self-concept development: Is there a concept of self in Chinese culture? In S. Lau (Ed.), Growing up the Chinese way (pp. 357–374). The Chinese University Press

  • Leung, J .C. B. & Nann, R. C. (1995). Historical and cultural legacies. In J. C. B. Leung & R. C. Nann (Eds.), Authority benevolence: Social Welfare in China (pp. 1–18). The Chinese University Press

  • Liang, S. M. (1967) (1974). The essence of Chinese culture. Tai Pei, Taiwan: Zheng Zhong Press

  • R. Lichtman (1990) ArticleTitleThe production of human nature by means of human nature Capitalism, Nature, Socialism 4 13–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Y. S. Lincoln E. G. Guba (1985) Naturalistic inquiry Sage Beverly Hills, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Li-Repac (1980) ArticleTitleCultural influences on clinical perception: A comparison between Caucasian and Chinese American therapist Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 11 IssueID3 327–342

    Google Scholar 

  • R. C. Page H. P. Cheng (1992) ArticleTitleA preliminary investigation of Chinese and American perceptions of the self Psychologia 35 12–20

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Q. Patton (1990) Qualitative evaluation and research methods Sage Publications Newbury Park, Cal

    Google Scholar 

  • Y. Poortinga (1992) Towards a conceptualization of culture for psychology S. Iwawaki Y. Kashima K. Leung (Eds) Innovations in cross-cultural psychology Swets & Zeitlinger Amsterdam 3–17

    Google Scholar 

  • D. D. Pratt (1991) ArticleTitleConceptions of self within China and the United States: Contrasting foundations for adult education International Journal of Intercultural Relations 15 285–310

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Reinharz (1992) Feminist methods in social research Oxford University Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Roland (1987) ArticleTitleThe familial self, the individualized self and the transcendent self Psychoanalytic Review 74 IssueID2 237–250 Occurrence Handle3112835

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • E. J. Roll (1980) ArticleTitlePsychologists’ conflicts about the inevitability of conflict during adolescence: An attempt at reconciliation Adolescence 15 IssueID59 661–670

    Google Scholar 

  • E. E. Sampson (1977) ArticleTitlePsychology and the American ideal Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 35 767–782

    Google Scholar 

  • M. H. Segall P. R. Dasen J. W. Berry Y. H. Poortinga (1990) Human behavior in global perspective: An introduction to cross-cultural psychology Pergamon New York

    Google Scholar 

  • D. T. L. Shek L. K. Chan (1999) ArticleTitleHong Kong Chinese parents’ perceptions of the ideal child The Journal of Psychology 133 IssueID3 291–302

    Google Scholar 

  • J. P. Spradley (1979) The ethnographic interview Holt, Rinehart & Winston New York

    Google Scholar 

  • V. Stander L. Jensen (1993) ArticleTitleThe relationship of value orientation to moral cognition: Gender and cultural differences in the United States and China Explored Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology 24 IssueID1 42–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, H. W., & Lee, S. Y. (1996). The East Asian version of whole-class teaching. Educational Policy

  • A. Strauss J. Corbin (1990) Basic of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques Sage Publications Newbury Park, California

    Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1994). Grounded theory methodology: An overview. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 273–285). Sage Publications

  • Sue, S., Zane, N., & Young, K. (1994). Research on psychotherapy with culturally diverse populations. In A. E. Bergin. & S. L. Garfield (Eds.). Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (pp. 783–816). John Wiley & Sons, Inc

  • L. J. Sun (1983) The deep structure of Chinese culture Yishan. (in Chinese) Hong Kong

    Google Scholar 

  • N. M. Tang (1992) ArticleTitleSome psychoanalytic implications of Chinese philosophy and child rearing practices Psychoanalytic Study of the Child 47 371–389 Occurrence Handle1289941

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Triandis, H. C. (1983). Collectivism vs. individualism: A conceptualization. Unpublished manuscript, University of Illinois

  • H. C. Triandis (1989) ArticleTitleThe self and social behavior in differing cultural contexts Psychological Review 96 IssueID3 506–520

    Google Scholar 

  • W. M. Tu (1976) ArticleTitleThe Confucian perception of adulthood Daedalus: Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Science 105 IssueID2 109–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Tu, W. M. (1985). Selfhood and otherness in Confucian thought. In A. J. Marsella, G. DeVos & F. L. K. Hsu (Eds.), Culture and self: Asian and Western perspective (pp. 231–251). Tavistock Publications.

  • M. A. Wallach L. Wallach (1983) Psychology’s sanction for selfishness: The error of egoism in theory and therapy W. H. Freeman San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • A. S. Waterman (1984) The psychology of individualism Praeger New York

    Google Scholar 

  • J. T. Wei (1990) Contemporary reflections on traditional Chinese thoughts Kwei Kuan Press (in Chinese) Taipei

    Google Scholar 

  • Z. I. Wen (1989) The value orientations of the Chinese Tung Tai Press Taipei (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Y. H. Wu (1996) Chinese childhood socialization M. H. Bond (Eds) The handbook of Chinese psychology Oxford University Press Hong Kong 143–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu, D. Y. H., & Tseng, W. S. (1985). Introduction: The characteristics of Chinese culture. In W. S. Tseng & D. Y. H. Wu (Eds.), Chinese culture and mental health (pp. 1–14). Academic Press. Inc

  • K. S. Yang (1981) ArticleTitleSocial orientation and individual modernity among Chinese students in Taiwan Journal of Social Psychology 113 159–170

    Google Scholar 

  • M. S. M. Yik M. H. Bond D. L. Paulhus (1998) ArticleTitleDo Chinese self-enhance or self-efface? It is a, matter of domain Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 24 IssueID4 399–406

    Google Scholar 

  • N. F. Young (1972) ArticleTitleIndependence training from a cross-cultural perspective American Anthropologist 74 IssueID3 629–638

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Yu (1996) Ultimate life concern, self, and Chinese achievement motivation M. H. Bond (Eds) The handbook of Chinese psychology Oxford University Press Hong Kong 227–246

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Work, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong

    Ching-man Lam

Authors
  1. Ching-man Lam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ching-man Lam.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lam, Cm. Chinese Construction of Adolescent Development Outcome: Themes Discerned in a Qualitative Study. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 22, 111–131 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-005-3414-y

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-005-3414-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation