The Value of Children to Hong Kong Chinese Parents

Married adults (N = 720) between 30 and 60 years old responded to the 12-item Chinese Value of Children Scale (Shek, Lam, Tsoi, & Lam, 1993). Although the respondents generally agreed that children contribute to parents' own personal growth, spousal relations, family happiness, and family wholeness, a majority also perceived that parenthood was associated with increased financial burden and personal sacrifice. In contrast to the heavy emphases on the traditional Chinese values of security and posterity, these Hong Kong Chinese parents did not seem to emphasize such values strongly. Results also showed that the Chinese fathers tended to perceive parenthood as more positive and less burdensome than the Chinese mothers did.