Dating, Marriage, and Parental Approval: An Examination of Young Adults in China

Objectives Within Chinese culture, filial piety has long been a central aspect of families and family life, stipulating that children are obligated to their families, and adherence to parental authority is absolutely expected. Given the extent of societal change in China, it is important to assess the relative influence of filial piety upon young adults. Method Using a sample of young adult women and men, survey responses were analyzed to examine how willing daughters and sons are to date or marry someone without parental approval. Results Males were shown to be significantly more willing to go against parental approval compared to females. Familial characteristics were more likely to influence males' willingness to date without parental approval, while females were strongly influenced by their individual characteristics, and particularly those related to the qualities they desired in a partner. Conclusions Although a significant portion of young adults stated their willingness to comply with their parents’ wishes, a large portion did not. Cultural and economic factors may be affecting adherence to filial piety. The results are discussed within the developmental paradigm.