A Comparison of Eastern and Western Parenting: Programmes, Policies and Approaches

Parenting adolescents is a challenge to parents worldwide. With changing family structures around the world, divorced and reconstituted families are now more common. Adolescents are normally brought up in non-intact families. Research informs us that there are many negative outcomes associated with adolescents growing up in non-intact families. These include adolescents’ behavioural problems, like anti-social behaviour, and emotional problems such as anxiety, depression and suicidal acts. Parenting adolescents has become increasingly stressful for parents from non-intact families. Nevertheless, there is strong evidence that there are many positive outcomes for adolescents if their parents adopt positive parenting practices. Parenting programmes organised by both public and private sectors provide support for parents when they are in difficult situations. Studies have indicated that parents benefit from parenting programmes through improvements in their parenting skills and parenting attitudes, and that these programmes also improve outcomes for their adolescents. Nevertheless, there is little evidence available for helping professionals in Hong Kong to determine the effective elements in these programmes that could benefit parents. There is also a lack of interest among researchers to research the effectiveness of parenting programmes. This book fills this gap and provides a resource for university students who are interested in knowing more about parenting and parenting programmes and how to use them in their interventions. The first chapter introduces the concept of parenting and discusses the current policy and social contexts that currently make parenting a particularly hard job for parents of adolescents. The second chapter compares parenting and parenting styles in the West and in the local Hong Kong context. How parenting practices affect adolescents’ behavioural and emotional outcomes is also discussed in detail in this chapter. It further argues that positive parenting practices are a promise for positive development in adolescents. Specifically, this chapter compares the Chinese and Euro–American parenting styles and how the differences between them determine research and practice in these cultures. Chapter 3 first discusses the historical development of parenting programmes, taking into consideration these programmes’ roots in early childhood education and parents’ participation in education in the early stages. Next, it looks at how, with the professionalisation of education and social welfare, parenting programmes are now conducted more often by professionals. These intervention programmes are also based on different theoretical and research focuses. Chapter 4 examines our approach to evaluating parenting programmes. Despite the proliferation of parenting programmes in Hong Kong, researchers and interventionists have shown a lack of interest in evaluating the effectiveness of such programmes. Much of the previous research has depended on surveys of participants’ opinions, with little use of scientific questionnaires or research tools. This chapter provides an overview of the paradigms and methodology used in programme evaluation. It covers both quantitative and qualitative approaches. It also covers the research design method and the data analysis strategies used in programme evaluation. Chapter 5 is based on my research into providing an example of adapting a Western programme for the Chinese culture. The cultural issues that interventionists need to take into consideration when adapting a programme and how to effectively implement a social learning programme are also illustrated in this chapter. The final chapter focuses on future development in parenting programmes. Culturally sensitive practice is becoming more important in Hong Kong as Hong Kongers are living in a diverse city with people from different parts of the world. In addition, changing family structures present challenges to policy makers and interventionists regarding the possible evidence-based interventions that could be provided to parents of adolescents. This chapter focuses on current changes in family structures and current parenting practices to consider future trends in the design and evaluation of parenting programmes. I hope this book will provide help for university students who are interested in knowing more about the theory, practice and evaluation of parenting programmes, for the benefit of parent participants as well as their adolescent children. In addition, I hope this book can enhance professional interest in evidence-based practice in delivering parenting programmes.