Two-daughter households report greater happiness than son-only households in China
In many parts of the world, the birth of a boy is celebrated as a blessing, while the birth of a girl is still viewed as a burden. The disturbing prevalence of female feticide bears witness to this inequality. In countries like China and India, deeply rooted cultural beliefs often place greater value on sons because they are expected to support their parents in old age and carry on the family…
Recent research published in Acta Psychologica reveals that households with only daughters in China report greater happiness compared to those with only sons. This finding, based on analysis of Chinese General Social Survey data from 2012 to 2021, challenges traditional cultural beliefs that place greater value on male offspring.
The study found that middle-aged, particularly rural, parents with two daughters experienced higher levels of happiness than parents with two sons. While having more children was linked to increased happiness, this association was only significant for parents aged 60 and older. The strongest happiness boost was observed among middle-aged parents with only daughters, suggesting that the emotional ties and caregiving demands associated with raising daughters may contribute to this phenomenon.
However, the researchers caution that the study only establishes an association and not a causal relationship between the number and gender of children and parental happiness.
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