Effects of Social Status and Temperament of Children on the Marital Status of Chinese Post-1980s Group

Participants

In random sampling, a total of 206 families from Dalian city were selected from society and kindergartens, including103 post-1980 families (62 families with children between 3 and 7 years of age) and 103 pre-1980 families. The final effective respondents included 188 families. The educational levels of the participants include junior high school, high school, university, master, and doctoral degree.

Instruments

The Parent-Rated Questionnaire of the Temperament of Children From 3 to 9 Years of Age

The questionnaire regarding temperament of children from 3 to 9 years of age (Liu & Xia, 2007) consists of 31 entries and five dimensions. These include activity, emotionality, reactivity, concentration, and social inhibition. Parents completed the questionnaires. On a 5-point scale, items are arranged from Never to Always. Internal consistency reliability is .757; split-half reliability is .752; and total retest reliability is .893 (Liu & Xia, 2007). In the present study, the split-half reliability of each dimension is .509–.601.

Statistical Analysis

Using SPSS13.0 statistical software for data management, independent samples for t-tests are used to analyze the differences in marital quality between the post-1980 group and the pre-1980 group. Correlation analysis and regression analysis are used to study the relationship differences between child temperament, social support, and marital quality of the post-1980 group.

Gender and Educational Differences

There is no significant difference in gender (χ² = 2.058) and educational level (χ² = 8). The two groups are comparable.

Marital Status Differences

As shown in Table 1, there are significant differences in excessive idealization, character compatibility, conflict resolution method, sexual life, and marital quality score between the post-1980 and the pre-1980 groups. The character compatibility in level α = .01 is extremely significant. The overall scores of the pre-1980 group in each of these dimensions are lower than those of the post-1980 group. Further analysis reveals that women of pre-1980 are significantly different from the women of post-1980 in dimensions of excessive idealization (t = −2.923, p < .01) and personality compatibility (t = −2.278, p < .05). The latter score is higher than the former. Other differences in dimensions are not significant. The marital quality score between males of post-1980 and pre-1980 groups are not significantly different in individual dimensions or overall.

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Table 1.

The Differences in Comparison of Marital Quality Between “Post-1980s” and “Pre-1980s” Group.

	Pre-1980s (n = 93)		Post-1980s (n = 95)		t
	X ‾	SD	X ‾	SD
Excessive idealization	42.63	7.454	45.15	6.188	−2.512*
Marital satisfaction	35.49	6.377	37.06	5.896	−1.752
Character compatibility	29.24	5.478	31.70	6.301	−2.852**
Couple communication	34.15	5.914	35.44	5.025	−1.615
Conflict resolution method	31.45	5.806	33.06	4.946	−2.050*
Economic arrangements	33.67	6.869	33.38	4.470	0.341
Leisure activities	33.90	6.147	35.26	6.322	−1.495
Sexual life	35.65	5.631	37.36	5.297	−2.148*
Children and marriage	36.23	5.135	35.81	4.969	0.564
Relationship with kinfolk	36.00	6.413	37.38	6.306	−1.486
Equality of role	29.89	5.631	28.84	5.125	1.338
Marital quality score	378.30	40.208	390.44	40.39	−2.065*

Note. SD = standard deviation. *p < .05; **p < .01.

Correlation of Marital Quality and Child Temperament

Table 2 shows that the post-1980s marital quality in dimensions of extreme idealization, marital satisfaction, couple communication, sexual life, relationships with kinfolk, and marital quality score is positively correlated with emotionality of the temperament of children. The dimensions in economic arrangements, sexual life, and relationships with kinfolk are positively correlated with the reactivity dimension of temperament of children. Other dimensions are not significantly correlated with the temperament of children.

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Table 2.

The Correlation Between Marital Quality of “Post-1980s” Group and Temperament of Children (n = 56).

	Emotionality	Activity	Reactivity	Social Inhibition	Concentration
Excessive idealization	.301*	−.052	−.006	−.026	−.073
Marital satisfaction	.423**	.035	.203	−.121	.008
Character compatibility	.192	−.155	.098	−.111	.011
Couple communication	.319*	.102	.246	−.002	.068
Conflict resolution method	.191	.018	.185	−.055	−.032
Economic arrangements	.150	.005	.269*	−.084	.118
Leisure activities	.101	−.086	.075	−.146	−.084
Sexual life	.390**	.007	.299*	−.048	.105
Children and marriage	.144	−.058	.170	−.057	.088
Relationship with kinfolk	.352**	−.041	.291*	−.128	.106
Equality of role	−.041	.074	−.033	−.025	−.237
Marital quality score	.340**	−.026	.232	−.110	.009

*p < .05. **p < .01.

Correlation Between Marital Quality and Social Support

Table 3 shows that the post-1980s marital quality in dimensions of extreme idealization, character compatibility, couple communication, economic arrangements, children and marriage, and marital quality score are positively correlated with subjective support. Objective support and the utilization of support are not significantly correlated with marital quality. The dimensions in extreme idealization, character compatibility, couple communication, children and marriage, and marital quality score are positively correlated with social support score.

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Table 3.

The Correlation Between Marital Quality of “Post-1980s” and Social Support (n = 89).

	Objective Support	Subjective Support	Utilization of Support	Social Support
Excessive idealization	.132	.290**	.038	.272**
Marital satisfaction	.162	.152	−.059	.162
Character compatibility	.189	.224*	.167	.289**
Couple’s communication	.122	.329**	−.003	.283**
Conflict resolution method	.178	.163	.038	.205
Economic arrangements	.108	.232*	−.073	.189
Leisure activities	.094	.189	−.064	.156
Sexual life	.035	.128	−.018	.100
Children and marriage	.199	.308**	.025	.311**
Relationship with kinfolk	.173	.172	−.108	.167
Equality of role	.064	−.117	.103	−.023
Marital quality score	.203	.286**	.007	.293**

*p < .05. **p < .01.

Regression Analysis of Social Support and Child Temperament

Table 4 illustrates that the regression equation first demonstrates subjective support, followed by a variable representing emotionality of the temperament of children. Consolidating the two predictor variables could explain post-1980 group marital quality samples demonstrating 22.9% of the total variance and the overall 20% of the total variance. The statistical results of the regression equation are as follows: Y = 4.162 × X ₁ + 3.569 × X ₂ + 230.548 (Y, marital quality; X ₁, emotionality; and X _2, subjective support). The regression equation illustrates the higher is the marital quality of the post-1980 group, the more consistently stable is emotionality of temperament in children. Also, the better social support received, the higher the marital quality. The predictive ability of emotionality to marital quality is higher than subjective support.

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Table 4.

The Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis of Social Support and Temperament of Children Compared to Marital Quality of “Post-1980s” Group (n = 56).

Variable	B	SE	β	R 2	ΔR 2	t	F
Subjective support	3.569	1.278	.348	.168	.153	2.794**	10.929**
Emotionality	4.162	2.040	.254	.229	.200	2.041*	7.867***

*p < .05. **p < .01.

The Marital Quality Status of the Post-1980s Group

The result of the comparison of marital quality between the post-1980s group and pre-1980s group shows that the post-1980s group demonstrates increased spousal behavior satisfaction and successful conflict resolution. Post-1980s couple's emotional exchange and the subjective feelings on the roles and status of marriage is much better, and marital quality rates higher than the pre-1980s group. The specific analyses are reported as follows.

First, post-1980 couples view time as relatively short and are full of longing for future happiness in married life, while the marital passion of the pre-1980 group has already dissipated. This may be the result of life circumstances becoming stressful or that a more rational understanding of the meaning and responsibilities of marriage has been transferred to the next generation. Therefore, there are extreme dimensions in idealism, so post-1980s couples will score higher than pre-1980s couples.

Second, post-1980s couples grew up in wealthy material conditions and a surging multicultural environment, so this group developed independent character, open-minded, they respected gender equality and freedom. Whereas the pre-1980s group were more influenced by the traditional Chinese Confucian culture or family model. This model is respecting men, men outside and the women inside of the family. With the enhancement of women's economic and social status, the wife's dissatisfaction with her husband's sovereign status in the family, and the strong personality is increasingly strong. Therefore, the scores of post-1980s and pre-1980s couples in dimensions of personality compatibility are significantly different, the post-1980s group scores are much higher.

Third, Xu and Ye (2002) believe that the economy, housework, and parenting methods are three main factors that lead to marital conflict. Yang and Fang’s (2009) study shows that the top three areas of marital conflict are bad habits, household chores, and the manner of resolving communication issues. The researchers believe that the majority of post-1980s couples, despite their normal income, also receive additional supporting funds from both sets of parents. There are no economic constraints in day-to-day life in this group. Post-1980s couples pursue gender equality in rational allocation and joint participation of housework, the family atmosphere of democracy, and the upbringing of children. Post-1980 couples receive full assistance from both sets of parents. Also, the community has been formed upon a set of fairly standard scientific concepts regarding upbringing. Parents can simply follow this system step by step.

As for bad habits, the post-1980s groups are influenced by multiculturalism and enjoy the stylish outlook of life. Bad habits represent greater inclusiveness. Outside of traditional ideological influence, men in the pre-1980s group perform little or no housework, but due to the continuous improvement in the economic and social status of the wife, and they find themselves to have an increasingly equal role in the social sphere. After a considerable period of time, it is inevitable that division of this role will involve the upbringing of children. Both husband and wife may come from families with many children, so the full help of the parents is not available. Couples may have to face the disapproval of grandparents while living in a period of social transition. Couples are often faced with the dilemma of traditional child-rearing patterns and other external factors relating to the generation of their grandparents. As children grow older and enhancement of self-consciousness becomes a factor, the pressure of incompatible roles increases (Jesse, Jacqueline, Shaun, & Kristin, 2010). Consequently, conflicts of the pre-1980s couples increase and the outcome is often helpless. Compromise is no longer an option due to complaints from either partner. To sum up, the differences in the area of conflict resolution varied significantly between the couples of pre-1980s and post-1980s.

Finally, sex is a biological and instinctive demand. Compared with the pre-1980s group, which has experienced baptism into Western culture, the post-1980s couples are more open in understanding of sex life and no longer view sex as the main objective for continuing the family line. This group began to recognize focus on the enjoyment and pleasure of sex as an important criterion in measuring the success of marriage (Wang, 2008). The post-1980s group is more open in expressing sexual topics and attempting new methods of maintaining sexual interest by talking about sexual issues with their spouses as compared to the husband and wife of pre-1980s. To sum up, the post-1980s group scores higher in sexual life than the pre-1980s group.

Relationship Between Marital Quality and Child Temperament

This study attempts to explore the impact of the temperament of children on the post-1980s couples’ marriage. The results indicate that the emotionality of children’ temperament is positively correlated with the dimensions of extreme idealization, marital satisfaction, couple communication, and sexual life. In terms of marital quality, which can forecast emotionality to a certain extent, the reactivity is positively correlated with economic arrangements, sexual life, and relationships with kinfolk. The reasons for these phenomena are twofold. First, children’s emotionality includes intense stability and tolerability of three factors. Young children are gentle, cheerful, and demonstrate emotional stability. They are also well behaved, obedient, and easily induce positive interaction with their parents. Young children may demonstrate adverse emotional characteristics, such as intense reaction, irritability, fussiness, and timidity, which easily shape a negative interaction.

Second, the reactions involving sensitivity relate to environmental perception and response to cognitive activity (Liu, 2007). The researchers believe that families demonstrating higher marital relationship harmony have economic arrangements involving less conflict, better emotional communication, and wonderful sexual life. These families will be more focused on parenting and produce children with high reactivity, who are more sensitive to the surrounding environment. Parental attitude and behavior, sensitivity to changes in curiosity, thirst for knowledge, and ability to adapt will increase parents’ sense of accomplishment. This will directly or indirectly impact marital quality. Similarly, a good relationship with kinfolk who often get together with family and friends creates children who are more involved outside the community. This will strengthen, or become the focus of, an active interest by parents. Community involvement also serves to increase the sense of parental accomplishment and pride, thereby positively affecting parental marital quality.

Relationship Between Marital Quality and Social Support

The correlation analysis of post-1980s marital quality and social support reveals that marital quality and subjective support, as well as social support scores, are positively correlated but are not significantly correlated with objective support dimension and utilization. These are not in line with the conclusion of Xing, Li, and Tang (2009), and Xu and Hu (2010) that there is a correlation between marital quality, objective support, and utilization. Analysis of research data reveals that post-1980s couples’ social support stems primarily from a parent-based kinship network. The other descending order of support includes colleagues, friends, and neighbors. The willingness to seek for help is limited with few resources available for use. There are multiple reasons for this.

First, the post-1980s groups have one child. The majority of this group will receive emotional care and financial support from both parents. They are also more relaxed in the material life, as this group has enough money to live comfortably and not experience economic burden.

Second, a growing number of the post-1980s group leave their homeland to study, work, marry, have children, and become a family of new immigrants. Compared with the relative naiveté of the pre-1980s group, they need to stay away from parents and social network of origin to adapt to the new environment and rebuild a network of social relations. Due to limited time and economic ability, building of new social network support is not perfect.

Third, the post-1980s groups are characterized by independent personality, rich emotion, and strong social needs, but superior growth environment makes them develop self-centered personality, lack of sense of teamwork, and interpersonal relationships of idealism. As only children, the post-1980s group has no experience with sibling communication. The lack of time for communication during the school year because of academic pressure and the education system may have resulted in the post-1980s group lacking social skills as adults. This could also result in difficulties interpreting appropriate social network access and rational use of instrumental and informational support (Luo, 2009).

Finally, the popularity of the social network made stay at home entertainment, information access, shopping transactions, and work become a reality, and a considerable part of the post-1980s gradually became a house bound group. The virtuality, anonymity, openness, and multisurface aspect of personal identity in the social network provide a secret, equal, and emotional exchange platform. This meets the emotional needs of the post-1980s group and lessens the pressure needed to affect the reality of human interpersonal communication. In the provision of emotional exchange and support, receiving objective support and the ability to use that support are weakened in disguise.