Vicky C. W. Tam

Stress and Coping among Migrant and Local-Born Adolescents in Hong Kong.

This study compared stress and coping among 243 migrant and 750 local-born Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. Findings showed that compared to their local-born counterparts, migrants showed no difference in perceived stress, whereas they were less likely to use withdrawal coping and showed higher self-esteem and less delinquent behavior. Adjustment of migrant adolescents was related to the father’s education level and years of residence in Hong Kong. Research and policy implications were discussed.

Differences in agency? How adolescents from 18 countries perceive and cope with their futures

This study investigated how N = 5,126 adolescents (mean age of 15 years) from 18 countries perceive and cope with future- and school-related stress. The adolescents completed the Problem Questionnaire (PQ), which assesses stress, and the Coping Across Situations Questionnaire (CASQ), which assesses three coping styles (reflection/support-seeking, emotional outlet, and withdrawal/denial). Across countries, adolescents reported considerably higher levels of future-related stress than school-related stress. The adolescents actively coped with stressors in both domains and seldom relied on emotional outlet or withdrawal/denial. A clustering of the countries according to socioeconomic criteria and geographical proximity demonstrated that adolescents from the continental group of countries showed low stress and high coping. Adolescents in the east/Asia group showed medium stress and low coping and those in the south group showed high stress and low coping. Developmental context was more strongly associated with stress perception and coping, style than age or gender, a finding relevant for prevention approaches aiming to endorse positive orientation to the future and improve coping competence.

Parenting style of Chinese fathers in Hong Kong: correlates with children's school-related performance.

This study investigates parenting styles among Chinese fathers in Hong Kong as perceived by their school-age children. Four parenting styles, namely inductive, indulgent, indifferent, and dictatorial parenting, are assessed using the Parent Behavior Report (1988). Data were collected through a questionnaire survey on a sample of 1011 Primary Three to Five Chinese students from six schools in Hong Kong and 471 fathers. Findings show that among Chinese fathers, the least common parenting style is inductive, while the other three styles are of similar occurrence. Chi-square analysis shows no significant association between childrens grade level and fathers parenting style. However, there is a significant association with gender, with fathers more likely to be perceived as dictatorial with boys and indulgent with girls. The effect of paternal styles on childrens school-related performance is also examined. MANOVA results show that significant differences are found among children of the four paternal style groups with respect to academic performance, interest in school work, aspiration for education, involvement in extracurricular activities, and efficacy for self-regulated learning. Post-hoc tests reveal that childrens performance is similar between the groups with indulgent and inductive fathers, and between children of indifferent and dictatorial fathers, with the former groups performing better than the latter in general. Findings are discussed with regard to research on parenting style and paternal behavior, as well as understanding the roles of fathers in Chinese families in the socio-cultural context in Hong Kong.

A Cultural Exploration Based on Structured Observational Methods in Hong Kong

Abstract This study contributes to the debate on applying parenting style typologies to the Chinese population by using structured observational methods in examining parenting behaviors and styles in parent-child interactions in problem-solving situations. Participants were 81 parent-child dyads in Hong Kong. The four parenting groups identified through cluster analysis were authoritative, authoritarian, disengaged, and task-oriented. This clustering was compared internally on parenting attributes and childs school-related outcomes, as well as externally with the Parent Behavior Report typology assessed through the child-report method. Discussion was based on the conceptual and theoretical implications of this new clustering using observational methods.

Homework Involvement and Functions: Perceptions of Hong Kong Chinese Primary School Students and Parents.

This study examines the perceptions of Chinese students and parents in Hong Kong on homework involvement, assignment type and homework functions. The relationships of homework perceptions to student and parent attributes are also assessed. The sample includes 1393 pairs of students and their parents from 36 primary schools in Hong Kong. Findings of this study show similarities in preference for assignment type across students and parents. Between‐group discrepancies are observed in preference for homework involvement and endorsement of homework functions. Moreover, homework perceptions are found to relate to students’ and parents’ efficacy attributes and involvement behaviour. Findings of this study are discussed in light of the Chinese sociocultural context in Hong Kong. Suggestions are made on the design and use of homework in primary schools by incorporating the views of different stakeholders.

Coping profiles among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong: a person-centered approach.

This study examines coping profile among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong using a person-centered approach. Data were collected using Seiffge-Krenkes Coping Across Situations Questionnaire from 1,116 Secondary One and Secondary Three students attending fifteen schools in Hong Kong. Cluster analysis was performed on active, withdrawal, and internal coping. Subjects were classified into four profiles, namely Active Copers, Active-Internal Copers, Internal-Withdrawal Copers, and Undifferentiated Copers. Comparisons across profile groups using MANCOVA with perceived stress as a covariate showed significant group differences in the psychosocial adjustment indicators of self-esteem, depression, deviant behavior, and prosocial behavior. Active Copers and Active-Internal Copers consistently outperformed Internal-Withdrawal Copers and Undifferentiated Copers in psychosocial adjustment, thus supporting the maladaptive nature of withdrawal coping. Furthermore, internal coping was found to play a supplementary role in promoting psychosocial adjustment by excluding maladaptive strategies and supplementing adaptive strategies. Our findings support the significance of examining coping profiles across individuals, and provide insight into the development of adaptive coping profiles among Chinese adolescents.

The roles and contributions of fathers in families with school-age children in Hong Kong

The present chapter examines fatherhood in contemporary Chinese families in Hong Kong by comparing fathers and mothers with regard to parenting style dimensions and parenting behaviors. It also investigates the influence of demographic factors on father attributes and analyses father’s unique contribution to school-related child outcomes. The sample comprised 461 child–mother–father triads in Hong Kong, with the children studying at Primary Level 3 to 5 at the time of the study. Results of this study show that the roles of Hong Kong fathers in child-rearing were peripheral when compared to that of the mothers: fathers were less nurturant, less involved in child’s education, and less efficacious in promoting child’s schoolwork. Analyses in this study indicate that education attainment was the dominant demographic factor that affects fathers’ behaviors. Finally, results show that fathers made unique contribution to child’s school-related performance in the areas of academic performance, efficacy for self-regulated learning and self-esteem. On the whole, this study shows that the roles of Chinese fathers in Hong Kong follow the traditional cultural patterns to a certain extent while it also provides strong support to the importance of fathers in enhancing children’s school-related performance. Implications on parent education and family policies are discussed.

Correlates of identity statuses among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong

Abstract This study investigates correlates of Hong Kong Chinese adolescents’ identity statuses with (i) parental and school contexts and (ii) major psychosocial developmental outcomes. Data were collected from 1260 Secondary 2–4 (equivalent to Grades 8–10 in the US school system) students through a questionnaire survey. Results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that parental attributes of acceptance, values and goals, and psychological control, and school contextual factor of task orientations predicted identity achievement, whereas parents’ acceptance, psychological and firm control, and teachers support predicted identity foreclosure. Regarding the impact on psychosocial development, another series of regression analyses revealed that (i) identity achievement predicted low depression, high self-esteem, and high self-efficacy; (ii) moratorium predicted low self-esteem; and (iii) foreclosure predicted high self-efficacy. Overall, the findings shed light on adolescent identity development in Hong Kong, facilitating discussions on identity-related issues.

Developing and Managing School Human Capital for Information and Communication Technology Integration: A Case Study of a School-Based E-Learning Project in Hong Kong.

Abstract The application of information and communication technology (ICT) in education has been gaining attention worldwide. Educators and school administrators are interested in the myriad possibilities offered by new technologies to enrich teaching materials and to provide ubiquitous learning environments to enhance students’ learning. This case study examined the implementation of a school-based e-learning initiative in a primary school in Hong Kong by focusing on the development and management of forms of school human capital. The findings drew from interviews with 25 staff members in the case school and elucidated how school reform and transformation were effected through the development and management of intellectual, social, and organisational capitals. The interplay between these three forms of school human capitals highlighted the significance of shared vision, differentiated leadership as well as a culture of learning community in advancing towards ICT integration. Suggestions are made for establishing practices of distributed leadership and professional learning communities in the case school and other settings undertaking ICT integration.

School Children's Attributions of Intentions for Parental Behaviors Development of a Measure

The present study developed a new scale to measure childrens attributions of intentions for parental behaviors. The scale has 180 items (18 intentions that children may use to explain why parents perform each of 10 parental behaviors), and was administered to 1973 Chinese students (age range = 9–16 years; M = 12.5, SD = 1.70; 1024 boys and 949 girls). Using half of the sample, 10 exploratory factor analyses were conducted (variance accounted for ranged from 64.24% to 73.32%, M = 69.9%), each on the 18 items associated with one of the 10 parental behaviors. Four factors with eigenvalues over one emerged. The items associated with two of the 10 stimulus behaviors were selected to form a short version. Using the other half of the sample, confirmatory factor analyses on the short version were conducted and provided further support for the four-factor structure. Concurrent validity was assessed by correlations with parental psychological and behavioral control, and gender, age, and grade of the respondents. Test–retest reliability was assessed among 159 of the respondents over a one-month separation.