China’s One-child Policy and the Changing Family

Abstract

China’s one-child policy was initiated in late 1979. Since its inception, nearly 150 million single children have been born in China. It is believed that this generation of only children has dramatically changed family structure, family relationships, and family lifestyle in China. It has also resulted in problems and issues not previously present in Chinese families, such as smaller families, a simplification of family structure, a shift from parented centered families to child centered families, the child becoming the focus of the family, changes in living patterns, and changes in family lifestyle. Also, there has been a decreased base of support for the elderly. We discuss these and related issues in this overview analysis of China’s changing family structure in the context of the one-child policy.