


































Global Research in Higher Education 
ISSN 2576-196X (Print) ISSN 2576-1951 (Online) 

Vol. 3, No. 4, 2020 

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1 
 

Original Paper 

Meta-analysis on the Relationship between Parenting Style and 

Personality of Chinese College Students 

Yaxin Yang
1
, Junhua Zhang

1,2*
, Yu Zhang

1
 & Fang Xu

1
 

1
 School of Education Science, Jiangsu Provincial Key Constructive Laboratory for Big Data of 

Psychology and Cognitive Science, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng, China 

2
 School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China  

*
 Junhua Zhang, E-mail: junhuazh2003@163.com  

 

Received: August 17, 2020   Accepted: September 2, 2020   Online Published: September 29, 2020 

doi:10.22158/grhe.v3n4p1                 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/grhe.v3n4p1 

 

Abstract 

There have been many studies on the relationship between parenting style and personality 

characteristics of college students, and there are many inconsistent conclusions on the direction and 

intensity of the correlation. In order to explore the relationship between parenting style and personality 

of college students in China, this systematic review and meta analysis included 12 studies with 4,984 

college students. Results showed that: 1) Positive parenting style was significantly negatively 

correlated with neuroticism and positively correlated with extraversion; 2) Negative parenting style 

was significantly positively correlated with psychoticism and negatively correlated with neuroticism. 

Parenting style can significantly influence college students’ personality. 

Keywords 

parenting style, personality, meta-analysis, Chinese college students 

 

1. Introduction 

College students’ sound personality not only affects the fate of themselves, but also determines the 

future of a country to a certain extent. When faced with difficulties and setbacks, the strong people will 

work hard while weak ones may fall down. Many researchers have reported that one of the important 

factors affecting personality is parenting style (Zhang, Liu, & Wo, 2004). Generally speaking, positive, 

tolerant, encouraging and participatory parenting style can promote the development of individual 

personality, while negative parenting style is the opposite. In a word, parenting styles can help or 

hinder the personality development of offspring.  

 



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The personality of college students needs urgent attention, and exploring the influencing factors of 

college students’ personality is of great significance for proposing feasible intervention strategies. 

Chinese scholars have conducted a lot of empirical research on the influencing factors of college 

students’ personality, and have achieved quite fruitful results. Parental rearing style is one of the 

important factors. However, there are many inconsistent conclusions on the direction and intensity of 

the correlation between the two. Chen invested 563 college students and found that fathers’ 

overprotection, emotional warmth and understanding, were significantly positively correlated with 

extraversion. Father’s over-protection and mother’s preference for the subject was significantly 

positively correlated with neuroticism and psychoticism of offspring. There was a significant negative 

correlation between mother’s emotional warmth and understanding and neuroticism of college students. 

Father’s refusal, over-protection and mother’s over-interference and protection, preference for subjects 

were significantly positively correlated with children’s psychoticism (Chen & Liu, 2008). Zeng’s study 

showed that father’s severe punishment, mother’s refusal, and severe punishment were positively 

correlated with psychoticism, while mother’s emotional warmth and understanding was significantly 

positively correlated with extraversion. Parental emotional warmth and understanding were 

significantly negatively correlated with neuroticism, while fathers’ refusal and over-protection were 

significantly positively correlated with psychoticism (Zeng, 2012). Li’s research showed that parents’ 

emotional warmth and understanding were significantly negatively correlated with neuroticism and 

positively correlated with extraversion, and negative parenting styles were positively correlated with 

neuroticism (Li, 2004). Wu also found that parental emotional warmth and understanding were 

negatively correlated with psychoticism and neuroticism (Wu & Tang, 2000). Xia’s research showed 

that parents’ emotional warmth is negatively correlated with psychoticism and neuroticism, and 

positively correlated with their extraversion. Severe punishment and refusal were positively correlated 

with psychosis and neuroticism (Xia, 2007). Liu showed that severe punishment, excessive interference 

and refusal of fathers and severe punishment and preference of mothers were significantly positively 

correlated with neuroticism, while emotional warmth and understanding of fathers were significantly 

negatively correlated with psychoticism. Extraversion was significantly positively correlated with 

parents’ emotional warmth and understanding (Liu, 2008).  

There have been many studies on the relationship between parenting style and personality 

characteristics of college students, and their reports have shown that parenting style of college students 

are closely related to personality characteristics, but the researchers have not been able to reach a 

consistent result. For example, the r between psychoticism and father’s emotional warmth and 

understanding was 0.007 in Zeng Yu’s study and -0.158 in another study. The r between extraversion 

and mother’s severe punishment was -0.024 in Zeng Yu’s study and 0.224 in Li Yian’s study (Li, 2004; 

Zeng, 2012). It can be seen that there are many inconsistencies in the degree and direction of 

correlation between personality dimensions and parenting styles. This systematic review and 

meta-analysis aimed to unify these studies and get a more objective conclusion. In addition, both 



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parenting style and personality contain too many dimensions and this weakens its guiding significance 

to reality. Therefore, based on previous studies (Lei, Chiu, Cui, Zhou, & Li, 2018), we classified them 

as positive parenting style and negative parenting style to simplify the conclusions. 

 

2. Method 

2.1 Search Strategies 

Chongqing VPN, CNKI and Wan fang datasets were searched on 13, April, 2020 and a total of 496 

references without duplication were found. Search items were as following: 

# 1 Parenting style or parental rearing  

# 2 Personality or neuroticism or psychoticism or extraversion 

Searching: 1 and 2  

2.2 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria of Literature 

The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) parental rearing pattern questionnaire (EMBU) and Eysenck 

Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) were used; (2) subject are Chinese college students; (3) there are 

sufficient information that meta-analysis needed such as the number of people, correlation coefficient 

or other parameters that can be converted into r, including t, P, etc.; (4) the language is Chinese. The 

correlation coefficients between each dimension should be reported, and studies that only report part of 

the data will be excluded. For multiple publications using the same database, we link them together and 

extract the sufficient data from one of them. 

2.3 Data Extraction 

Literature screening was divided into two stages. In stage one, every reference was judged through 

reading the title and abstract. In stage two, full text is used to judge whether it meets the inclusion 

criteria. Each stage was completed by two researchers independently. Controversial issues were solved 

through negotiation or seeking senior researcher’s help. Positive parenting style included emotional 

warmth and understanding of father and mother. Negative parenting style included other dimensions 

(Yue, Li, Jin, & Ding, 1993). The concealment factor in EPQ was not involved in the follow-up 

analysis because it measured whether college students had lied or not 

2.4 Statistical Analysis 

Pearson correlation coefficient r is used as the effect size index in this meta-analysis. Random effect in 

Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0 was used to analyze the data (Cortese et al., 2018; Higgins & 

Thompson, 2002). I2 was used to assess the size of heterogeneity while egger test and funnel plot was 

used to detect publication bias (Egger, Davey Smith, Schneider, & Minder, 1997). 

 

 

 

 

 



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3. Results 

3.1 Characteristics of Studies Included 

A total of 496 references were retrieved. The PRISMA flow chart in Figure 1 detailed the quantitative 

stages of each study. A total of 12 studies since 2000 met the standards and were input into the 

meta-analysis research (Chen & Liu, 2008; Han, 2009; Huang & Jiang, 2016; Li, 2004; Liu, 2008; Wu 

& Tang, 2000; Xia, 2007; Xu, Liu, & Zhang, 2010; Zeng, 2012; G. Zhang, Guo, & Yan, 2006; L. 

Zhang, Yao, & Wang, 2009; Zhou, Sun, & Cheng, 2012). One study provided data on two groups of 

Hui and Han college students (L. Zhang et al., 2009). As a result, there are 13 sets of data. The total 

number of college students is 4894. These college students came from Chongqing, Fujian, Guangxi, 

Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Jiangxi, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Xinjiang. One study did not 

report the information about the region of college students.  

 

Table 1. Characterizes of Studies Included 

 

Author/Year Region Type of study N 

Chen (2008) Guizhou Journal 563 

Han (2009) Heilongjiang Dissertation 178 

Huang (2016) Jiangxi Journal 208 

Li (2004) Unclear Journal 196 

Liu (2008) Shann’xi Journal 113 

Wu (2000) Guangxi Journal 97 

Xia (2007) Xinjiang Journal 2055 

Xu (2010) Chongqing Journal 199 

Zeng (2012) Fujian Journal 245 

Zhang (2006) Henan Journal 233 

Zhang (2009) Ningxia Journal 736 

Zhou (2012) Hebei Journal 161 



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Figure 1. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Flow Chart 

 

3.2 Relationship between Positive Parenting Style and Personality 

It can be seen from Table 2 that there is a significant negative correlation between positive parenting 

style and neuroticism ((-0.144 (-0.248, -0.037), see Figure 2), and a significant positive correlation 

between positive parenting style and extraversion (r=0.203 (0.148, 0.257), see Figure 3). There is no 

significant correlation between positive parenting style and psychoticism (r=-0.085 (-0.236, 0.071), see 

Figure 4). 

 

Table 2. Correlation between Positive Parenting Styles and Personality 

Dimensions of  

Personality 

K  

Datasets 

N  

Subjects 

SMD 

(95%CI) 
P 

Heterogeneity Egger’s test 

Q df p I
2
 t p 

Neuroticism 13 4894 -0.144(-0.248,-0.037) 0.008 147.924 12 0.000 91.888 0.452 0.659 

Extraversion 13 4894 0.203(0.148,0.257) 0.000 37.975 12 0.000 68.400 0.621 0.546 

Psychoticism 13 4894 -0.085(-0.236,0.071) 0.285 313.743 12 0.000 96.175 0.052 0.959 

 



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Figure 2. Forest Plot of r between Positive Parenting Style and Neuroticism 

 

 

Figure 3. Forest Plot of r between Positive Parenting Style and Extraversion 

 



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Figure 4. Forest Plot of r between Positive Parenting Style and Psychoticism 

 

3.3 The Relationship between Negative Parenting Style and Personality 

As can be seen from Table 3, negative parenting style has significant positive correlation with 

neuroticism (0.123 (0.067, 0.178), see Figure 5), significant positive correlation with psychoticism 

(0.126 (0.085, 0.168), see Figure 6), and insignificant correlation with extraversion (0.015 (-0.013, 

0.043), see Figure 7). 

 

Table 3. Correlation between Negative Parenting Styles and Personality 

Dimensions of  

Personality 

K  

Datasets 

N  

Subjects 

SMD 

(95%CI) 
P 

Heterogeneity Egger’s test 

Q df p I
2
 t p 

Neuroticism 13 4894 0.123(0.067,0.178) 0.000 37.673 12 0.000 68.147 0.681 0.509 

Psychoticism 13 4894 0.126(0.085,0.168) 0.000 20.648 12 0.056 41.884 1.637 0.129 

Extraversion 13 4894 0.015(-0.013,0.043) 0.302 8.440 12 0.750 0.000 0.386 0.706 

 



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Figure 5. Forest Plot of r between Negative Parenting Style and Neuroticism 

 

 

Figure 6. Forest Plot of r between Negative Parenting Style and Extraversion 



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Figure 7. Forest Plot of r between Negative Parenting Style and Psychoticism 

 

4. Discussions 

4.1 The Influence of Positive Parenting Style on College Students’ Personality 

High neuroticism usually means apprehension, irritability and tendencies to experience negative affect 

(McLarnon & Romero, 2020). Such people usually are under a strong emotional reaction, and often 

feel depressed, unhappy, and worried. When parents use more positive parenting styles such as warm 

understanding, the family atmosphere is more democratic. When children have more positive 

experience, they experience less uncertainty and less anxiety. That’s why positive parenting style was 

negatively and significantly correlated with neuroticism.  

Extraversion dimension of EPQ was meant to measure extraversion versus introversion and a high 

extraversion score indicates extraversion (van Hemert, van de Vijver, Poortinga, & Georgas, 2002). 

This person likes to socialize and explore the outside world. When parents use more positive parenting 

methods such as cordial understanding, children will have more freedom, get more positive affirmation 

in communication with others, and become more active and brave in communication with strangers. 

4.2 The Influence of Negative Parenting Style on College Students’ Personality 

People with high neuroticism usually have more negative emotions. This is closely related to the 

negative parenting style. Some parents usually take their own standards to ask their children, and do not 

realize that they are too high for their children. These parents rarely encourage and praise children in 

time. In this “autocratic” situation, children are easy to form such bad personality characteristics as 

confrontation, inferiority, anxiety, withdrawal and dependence. 

 

 



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High score in psychoticism usually means loneliness and lack of concern for others. Psychoticism is 

believed to be closely related to inappropriate social behavior (Colledani, Anselmi, & Robusto, 2018). 

A person with high psychoticism does not easily adapt to changes in the environment. When parents 

expect too much of their children, such families are less likely to allow children to make mistakes. If 

parents are too demanding and too intrusive, children are more reluctant to express their opinions. 

Children experience less security and less autonomy. Over time, children who live in a negative 

parenting style become less caring. That is, the greater the level of negative parenting style, the greater 

the level of psychoticism of college students. 

4.3 Comprehensive Analysis 

Parents’ positive style including warm understanding has a very good role in promoting the formation 

of personality characteristic. When parents show more constructive style, college students will have 

strong independence, strong self-esteem and self-confidence. They tend to be able to control their 

emotions and be skilled at using his own strength to solve various problems. However, negative 

parenting styles, such as severe punishment, refusal, excessive interference et al., will lead to college 

students’ lack of self-esteem and self-confidence. The questionnaire used in this paper is based on EPQ 

personality questionnaire and parenting style questionnaire. Its advantage is to ensure the homogeneity 

of the study, but its disadvantage is that it cannot examine the influence of different measurement tools 

on the relationship. 

Therefore, this result also suggests studies of interventions to increase positive parenting styles and 

reduce negative parenting styles in order to help college students shape a noble personality. Studies 

have found that web-based parenting programs with new technologies are also helpful to parents and 

children (Nieuwboer, Fukkink, & Hermanns, 2013). 

 

5. Conclusions 

Positive parenting style was negatively correlated with neuroticism and positively correlated with 

extraversion. Negative parenting style was positively correlated with psychoticism and positively 

correlated with neuroticism. Therefore, parenting style can significantly influence college students’ 

personality traits. In order to enhance the comparability, this paper only selects EMBU revised by Yue 

and EPQ questionnaire. However, this approach inevitably misses studies using other tools. And it 

makes it impossible to test the moderating effect of measuring tools. This is what needs to be improved 

in the future. 

 

Acknowledgement 

This study was supported by Key Project of Social Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (18JYA002) 

and Key Project of Philosophy and Social Science Research in Colleges and Universities in Jiangsu 

Province (2018SJZDI 181). 

 



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