Intensive Mothering Attitudes and Associations With Maternal Involvement Across Social Classes in Urban China

Despite the growing prevalence of the intensive mothering ideology in China, little quantitative research has been conducted within the Chinese context. Utilising data from 449 Chinese mothers of preschoolers, the current study examined how intensive mothering attitudes, as well as whether their associations with maternal involvement in educational activities differed by social class. Results suggested that, compared to middle-class mothers, working-class mothers reported a stronger endorsement of intensive mothering in several aspects. Specifically, they believed more strongly in their inherent roles as mothers, the importance of cognitive stimulation and the child-centred parenting approach, and the challenges of mothering more than their middle-class counterparts. Mothers' endorsements of the importance of cognitive stimulation, the child-centred parenting approach, and the fulfilment in childrearing were positively related to their levels of home-based and school-based involvement. In addition, the association between mothers' recognition of the value of cognitive stimulation and home-based involvement was stronger for middle-class than working-class mothers. The findings highlight the impact of the intensive mothering ideology on maternal involvement and its variations by social class in contemporary China.