A comparative study on parental rearing styles and competitive attitudes among college students from different family income backgrounds.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the differences in parental rearing styles and competitive attitudes between college students from low-income and non-low-income families. The goal is to provide insights into their holistic development and psychological adaptation in diverse competitive environments.

METHODS

A total of 1,000 college students were surveyed using a general information questionnaire, the questionnaire, and the Competitive Attitude Scale. Among them, 188 were identified as low-income students and 750 as non-low-income students.

RESULTS

(1) Significant differences were observed between low-income and non-low-income students in parental emotional warmth and understanding, paternal denial and rejection, maternal favoritism, and malignant competitive attitude ( < 0.05). (2) Parental emotional warmth and understanding were positively correlated with benign competitive attitude ( < 0.01). (3) Parental rejection, denial, favoritism, and overprotection were negatively correlated with malignant competitive attitude ( < 0.05). (4) Paternal punishment and strictness were positively correlated with malignant competitive attitude ( < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Positive parental rearing styles enhance the subjective well-being of low-income students and foster benign competitive attitudes, whereas negative parental rearing styles reduce well-being and promote excessive competitive tendencies.