BECE. Newsletter 

Vol.11, No.2, 2022 1539 

 

 

 

 

Maternal Occupation Status, Child Educational 

Attainment and Gender Differences: An Empirical 

Study Based on the Data from the Chinese General 

Social Survey 

By Li, K. H. & Sun, T. 
Correspondence to: Tao Sun, Shandong University, China. E-mail: 

taosun@sdu.edu.cn 

 OWADAYS, Chinese women have made considerable progress in their 

career development. How mothers’ career advancement affects off-

spring education and gender differences in child education is an important is-

sue in the research on gender equality in education. Based on CGSS2015 da-

ta, this study used regression analysis with instrumental variables to investi-

gate the effects of maternal occupation status on child educational attainment 

and gender differences. The robustness test was subsequently carried out by 

re-screening the samples and changing the measurement methods of child 

educational levels. The heterogeneity effect of maternal occupation status on 

the gender difference in educational attainment was examined according to 

distinct family social classes and varying educational levels of parents. 

The results of the study: 

 Maternal occupation status significantly promotes child education, 

and the improved maternal occupation status enhances mothers’ 

power in family decision-making, more likely to increase family 

input in child education.  

 Maternal occupation status can significantly and negatively mod-

erate the gender gap in offspring educational attainment; that is, 

the higher the mother's occupational status, the more equal the 

educational opportunity of male and female offspring in the fami-

ly.  

 Heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of maternal occupa-

tion status on gender gap in child educational attainment only ex-

ists in the family group with relatively higher parental education 

levels and higher family status, and that the impact is not signifi-

cant among families from lower social classes and with lower 

levels of parental education.  

To conclude, the advancement of the maternal occupation status in the 

family has a significant effect on the improvement of the overall educational 

N 

mailto:taosun@sdu.edu.cn


 

Vol.11, No.2, 2022 1540 

level of children and can effectively reduce gender differences in child edu-

cational achievements. Therefore, the mother’s career advancement is of 

great significance to family educational reproduction and woman educational 

opportunity. The improvement of woman labor market status is conducive to 

the accumulation of offspring educational capital and the reduction of gender 

inequality in child education. Public policy makers should take this variable 

into account and formulate pertinent policy measures to support woman ca-

reer advancement to promote equity in education. 

 

Source: Journal of Shandong University (Philosophy and Social Sciences), 

2022; 2022(3):102-114.