BECE. Newsletter 

Vol.16, No.1, 2024, BECE 1823 

 

 

 

 

Factors Influencing Child Aesthetic Development: An 

Empirical Analysis Based on the Survey Data of Over 

70,000 Chinese Children 

By Yi, X., Xu, S., & Du, L. 
Correspondence to: Xiaoming Yi, Nanjing Normal University, China. E-mail: 

yixiaoming@njnu.edu.cn  

HE study examined factors influencing child aesthetic development, 

using Sharpley value decomposition and mediation effect model analysis. 

It was based on a sample of 71,546 students (9-18 years old) from grades 

four throughout 12 from 189 schools across China.  

Research Findings: 

(i) Individual-, family-, school-, community-related factors had differential 

levels of effect on child aesthetic development in the order: Individual > 

family > school > community. Among all the specific factors, the 

child’s curiosity, attitude towards life, and the school’s aesthetic educa-

tion resources were the three most impactful factors in child aesthetic 

development. There were gender and educational phase differences in 

the impacts of these factors. 

(ii) The analysis based on the mediation effect model revealed that parental 

penchant for arts promoted child aesthetic development through parent-

child interactions; that the teacher’ quality of aesthetic education signif-

icantly mediated the effect of the school’s aesthetic education resources 

on child aesthetic development; and that effective publicity of arts activ-

ities was supportive to the role of social aesthetic education resources. 

Suggestions were also proposed as follows: i) Establish aesthetic educa-

tion goals for developing student practice- and real life-based aesthetic litera-

cy and foster students’ self-motivation in this regard; ii) Give full play to the 

family’s role in nurturing the child’s aesthetic competence; iii) Create learn-

ing and living environments that facilitate aesthetic education; iv) Implement 

teaching patterns with diverse aesthetic experiences and practices; v) In-

crease publicity of social aesthetic activities via various channels and fully 

leverage social aesthetic education resources. 

 

 
Source: Educational Research, 2023; 44(6):78-94. 

T 

mailto:yixiaoming@njnu.edu.cn