







































 Humanities and Social Science Research; Vol. 8, No. 1; 2025 

ISSN 2576-3024   E-ISSN 2576-3032 

https://doi.org/10.30560/hssr.v8n1p123 

 123 Published by IDEAS SPREAD 

 

Analysis of Positive Parenting Styles Among Rural Primary School 

Students' Parents: A Case Study of Qingxi Village, Fujian Province 

Siyu Liu1, Yian Zhou1, Weiyi Zhong1, Lulu Zhang1, Yuege Lai1 & Baiyan Du1 

1 College of Teacher Education, Quzhou University, China 

Correspondence: Baiyan Du, College of Teacher Education, Quzhou University, Quzhou, Zhejiang, 324003, China. 

E-mail: 32076 qzu.edu.cn 

 

Received: January 31, 2025; Accepted: February 26, 2025; Published: March 3, 2025 

 

Funding Statement: This research is supported by the College Students' Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training 

Program (Project No. 202411488027) and the Quzhou University Research Project (Project No. BSYJ202225). 

 

Abstract 

With the deepening of educational reforms, rural basic education has garnered increasing societal attention. Family 

education, as a critical factor influencing children's development, demonstrates unique significance in rural areas. 

This study aims to explore the fundamental characteristics of positive parenting styles among rural primary school 

students' parents and propose strategies to enhance family education effectiveness. Focusing on Qingxi Village, 

Fujian Province, as a case study, data were collected through questionnaire surveys measuring parental practices 

in three dimensions: warmth, autonomy support, and problem-solving assistance.However, challenges persist 

due to a lack of effective educational guidance and resources, leading to suboptimal parenting approaches. The 

study recommends strengthening parental training programs and expanding educational support services to foster 

holistic development among rural students. 

Keywords: rural education, family education, basic education, positive parenting styles 

1. Introduction 

Family education is not only the first classroom for children's growth but also a crucial cornerstone in shaping 

their future. However, in vast rural areas, family education is constrained by multiple factors. First, the cultural 

literacy of most rural parents has significant room for improvement, and they lack understanding of scientific 

educational concepts and methods. Data from *Human Capital in China 2023* released by the Central University 

of Finance and Economics (2023) reveal that the educational attainment of China’s urban labor force is markedly 

higher than that of the rural labor force. In 2021, only 22.0% of rural laborers had a high school education, 

compared to 57.43% in urban areas, indicating a substantial gap. Second, many rural parents are preoccupied with 

making a living, leading them to prioritize material needs while neglecting their children’s emotional and 

psychological demands, coupled with a lack of effective communication skills. Huang’s (2023) survey of 453 

parents of students at a rural primary school in Hunan Province found that 50.77% of parents felt inadequate in 

tutoring their children academically, 46.8% reported having no time to manage their children, 43.49% 

acknowledged a lack of effective communication with their children, and 27.81% expressed concerns about their 

children’s addiction to the internet, phones, or computers. Third, the uneven distribution of educational 

resources—particularly in rural and underdeveloped regions—has resulted in deficiencies in scientific education 

resources, including outdated teaching facilities, insufficient personalized education, and a shortage of qualified 

educators. Ji’s (2023) survey of 203 rural teachers in District P of Province S found that 55.7% believed local 

cultural resources were underutilized, only 15.8% reported receiving training on regional folklore and historical 

heritage, and a mere 1.0% claimed familiarity with rural educational modernization. Additionally, 75.4% stated 

that school equipment barely met their teaching needs, while 7.9% felt facilities were inadequate. Under 

standardized development models, rural education continues to face challenges such as low educational quality, 

insufficient student motivation, and poor academic performance. For example, a survey of 488 children from three 

rural primary schools in eastern Guangdong revealed that only 14.62% achieved high academic scores, while 40.62% 

performed poorly (Gao, 2023).  

Generally, rural family education is heavily influenced by traditional beliefs, leading to skewed parental 

perceptions of education, overreliance on schools, and weak awareness of their primary responsibilities in child-



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rearing. As shown in Lin’s (2023) survey of 97 parents of students at Z Primary School in Fuqing City, 27.5% 

were indifferent to establishing a parent committee, and 28.3% opposed its formation. Regarding home-school 

collaboration, 26.7% felt schools dominated communication, relegating parents to a passive role. Furthermore, 

urbanization has led to declining enrollments in rural schools, with many small-scale institutions operating below 

regional standards and lacking sustainable development momentum. Despite increased societal investment in rural 

schools, funding and resource allocation remain insufficient, leaving both hardware and software systems in need 

of upgrades. Rural areas, with their unique cultural environments and abundant resources, should serve as 

microcosms of cultural revitalization, driving continuous progress in rural education. 

Parenting styles—defined as specific behavioral patterns and tendencies exhibited during child-rearing—reflect 

interactions between parents and children and significantly influence their development across multiple 

dimensions (Darling & Steinberg, 1993). Individual coping mechanisms may vary under different parenting 

approaches (Bhattacharyya & Pradhan, 2015), as demonstrated by the parental acceptance-rejection theory. 

Prolonged exposure to rejecting parenting correlates with negative coping behaviors such as aggression, 

defensiveness, and resistance (Strage & Brandt, 1999). Conversely, children raised with warmth and emotional 

support are more likely to exhibit positive behaviors and proactive problem-solving (Hong, 2013; Wolfradt et al., 

2003). Ginsburg and Bronstein (1993) found that frequent parental monitoring enhances external motivation, while 

positive feedback on academic achievements strengthens internal motivation. This suggests that parental 

involvement and encouragement can foster both intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation, boosting children’s 

academic interest. Positive parenting styles not only improve educational outcomes but also elevate societal 

educational levels and human capital quality (Park, 2002). Beyond knowledge, parents transmit values and life 

attitudes; children raised with positive parenting are more likely to become law-abiding, socially engaged citizens, 

reducing familial conflict and promoting harmony—key to societal stability (Zhou, 2014).   

In resource-limited rural settings, parents can transmit community and traditional cultural values, enhancing rural 

populations’ cultural literacy and fostering diverse, healthy cultural ecosystems (Zhou, 2014). Rural children often 

acquire practical life skills—such as agricultural knowledge and household management—from their parents, 

laying a foundation for future livelihoods and career development while contributing to higher employment rates 

(Boon, 2007). By encouraging curiosity and exploration, parents help children overcome obstacles and pursue 

better education. Through positive communication and modeling, parents teach conflict resolution and cooperation, 

equipping children to integrate into broader society. Facing life’s challenges, supportive family environments 

cultivate resilience, adaptability, and strong study habits. Such nurturing can produce responsible, well-educated 

rural youth capable of advancing community culture and driving local socioeconomic progress—a virtuous cycle 

that enhances individual well-being and societal development.   

Given the scarcity of empirical research on rural family education, this study analyzes the status and engagement 

of positive parenting practices in rural contexts. By exploring current challenges and proposing strategies centered 

on warmth, autonomy support, and assistance, it aims to optimize rural parenting approaches, improve family 

education quality, and provide actionable insights for rural educational advancement. The following research 

questions are addressed:   

**Research Question 1:** What is the current status of positive parenting practices among parents of rural primary 

school students? 

**Research Question 2:** How can family-based positive education be promoted for rural primary school students? 

2. Theoretical Background 

2.1 Definition of Positive Parenting Style 

In the 1960s, Baumrind (1966) first introduced the term "Parenting style". The term "parenting" is usually defined 

as the influence of parents on children's behavior and development. The parenting style is a psychological structure, 

representing the standard strategies used by parents when raising their children. In her survey on parenting styles, 

Baumrind put forward three prototypes of different parenting styles, namely permissive, authoritative, and 

authoritarian parenting styles. She also divided these three parenting styles into two extremes. One is the 

permissive parenting style, which is a non - punitive, accepting, and non - demanding parenting style. The other is 

the authoritarian parenting style, where parents try to influence and control their children to maintain their 

obedience and respect for authority. The authoritative parenting style is described as a rational parenting style, 

characterized by respecting children's self - will and balancing it with disciplined consistency. It is generally 

believed that this parenting style produces more positive child outcomes than the other two styles. Therefore, 

positive parenting or effective parenting is usually considered to be authoritative parenting, and positive parenting 

also includes greater positive health and lower delinquent behavior. In general, positive parenting can be defined 



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as essentially authoritative parenting or a parenting style that includes the characteristics of authoritative parenting 

(Palacios, 2022). In subsequent research, many researchers have supported Baumrind's research theory that 

authoritative parenting and its related behaviors, including warmth, autonomy granting, and behavioral control, 

will bring the most favorable outcomes to children. 

Since the family is usually the place where human beings begin their lives and develop their first interpersonal 

relationships, and it provides the foundation for the formation of personality and character. In particular, the 

relationship between parents and children is an important factor in the growth and development of the latter as 

adolescents. However, in different studies, the definition of parental attitudes varies. Durbin and Steinberg (1993) 

believe that the comprehensive attitude conveyed by parents to their children through physical or non - physical 

language during the interaction process is the parenting style. Prevatt (2003) stated that parenting style refers to a 

complex of stable attitudes and beliefs related to upbringing, which is the way and method used by parents or 

guardians in educating their children. Li and Willems (2019) believe that the family upbringing style is not only a 

relatively fixed way of behavior between parents and children in family education life, but also a comprehensive 

reflection of the parents' mentality, views, emotions, and actions in the whole process of cultivating their children. 

It can be seen that positive parenting style refers to the positive attitudes and behaviors of parents towards their 

children, such as warmth, understanding, acceptance, and support. 

For rural areas, the family education style is the interaction between parents and children, as well as how to plan 

and support children's lives and education in rural communities (Besharat, 2011). It is mainly the cultivation, 

guidance, and influence of rural parents or other guardians on their children's moral character, physical quality, 

life skills, cultural accomplishment, and behavioral habits, in order to ensure the healthy development of children's 

body and mind. Its aim is to guide the society to pay attention to family values, enhance family happiness and 

social harmony, and achieve rural revitalization (Qingle, 2024). Baumrind (1991) pointed out that rural parents 

are more likely to be authoritative, responsive, and maintain a strict attitude when interacting with their children, 

and authoritative parents have high standards for their children and encourage them to discuss their action plans 

through arguments and reasons before making decisions (Grobman, 2003; Seid and Mikre, 2008). In addition, 

some scholars have further concluded that the positive parenting style of rural parents means that in the rural 

environment, parents create a positive family education atmosphere through positive attitudes, behaviors, and 

emotional expressions, in order to promote the comprehensive and healthy growth of children (Talin, 2021). That 

is, it is the parenting methods and behaviors of rural parents to take positive, supportive, and cultivate children's 

initiative and sense of responsibility (Lin, 2022). Therefore, the positive parenting style of rural parents is an 

important content in the study of rural family education, which is not only related to the healthy growth of rural 

adolescents, but also affects the overall development of rural society. 

2.2 Factors Constituting Positive Parenting Style 

The characteristics of positive parenting are usually described by different terms, including acceptance, enthusiasm, 

participation, sensitivity, response, caring, empathy, promoting social emotional and cognitive growth, and 

instruction (Baumrind, 1989; Bornstein, 2003; Hart, Nelson, Robinson, Olsen, 1998). Maccoby (1983) divided 

parents' parenting attitudes into two dimensions of love - rejection and autonomy - control, and subdivided them 

into four types: love - autonomy, love - control, rejection - autonomy, and rejection - control, and put forward a 

cyclical model. "Love - autonomy" refers to the parenting attitude of parents who endow their children with 

autonomy and sense of responsibility with love and respect for their children's personality. "Love - control" refers 

to the parenting attitude of parents who try to control their children through overprotection and intervention while 

expressing love. "Rejection - autonomy" refers to the parenting attitude of indifference and laissez - faire towards 

children. "Rejection - control" refers to the psychological and behavioral control of children by ignoring their 

opinions and suppressing their behaviors. Skinner, Johnson, and Snyder (2005), based on the self - determination 

theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985), that is, the desire to autonomously decide one's own behavior, interpreted the 

parenting attitude as six factors: autonomy support, coercion, structure, chaos, warmth, and rejection. The above 

are the different conceptual types of parenting attitudes proposed by different scholars, all of which show that 

parents' parenting attitudes have a significant impact on children's emotional, behavioral, and cognitive 

development. 

Tae and Eun (2017) revised the Adolescent Parenting Attitude Scale (PSCQ_KA), and verified the Skinner, 

Johnson, and Snyder (2005) Adolescent Parenting Attitude Scale <Parents as Social Context Questionnaire for 

Adolescents>, and divided the constituent factors of positive parenting style into three dimensions: warmth, 

autonomy support, and provision of assistance. Among them, warmth is related to psychological needs, mainly 

reflected in emotional communication and psychological support, showing interest and affection for children, 

respecting and accepting their wishes, spending a lot of time together, and expressing verbal and non - verbal 



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intimacy. Lam (2018) believes that parents' warmth is a core aspect of parenting, which is usually defined as the 

support, praise, and affection from parents. It has been proved that children who have experienced this warm 

parenting attitude will have a sense of stability and calmness, and can establish good relationships with people not 

only in the family but also in friend and teacher relationships, and can better adapt to society. Autonomy support 

is related to the autonomy of psychological needs, which is a key point of self - determination theory, that is, 

accepting children's perspectives and views, having confidence to provide opportunities for choice, and 

encouraging their self - practice attitude. It can be seen that parents' autonomy support is also related to children's 

cognitive ability, academic enthusiasm, autonomous motivation, and mental health psychological and social 

indicators, which helps children form the personality traits of self - confidence, independence, and self - motivation. 

The provision of assistance is related to ability, which is a psychological need. Parents set clear goals and rules, 

but provide sufficient explanations and guidance in a way that children can understand, propose various methods, 

and provide appropriate feedback. When parents provide assistance to their children, children can understand the 

connection between their behavior and the result, and meet the need for ability by giving full play to their own 

ability to achieve the goals they want (Tae, Eun, 2017). 

In summary, the research on parenting attitudes has put forward a three - dimensional bipolar model of warmth - 

rejection, autonomy support - coercion, and provision of assistance - inconsistency, as well as a unipolar model 

that studies warmth, rejection, autonomy support, coercion, provision of assistance, and inconsistency as six 

independent factors. In a study on the dimensions of the parenting attitude scale, it was shown that the unipolar 

model is superior to the bipolar model in terms of applicability and explanatory power (Tae, Lee, 2017). Therefore, 

this study believes that the positive parenting style of parents is the positive attitude and behavior of parents 

towards their children's warmth, autonomy support, and provision of assistance, which covers the warm care of 

parents for their children, and the cultivation of encouraging autonomy and supporting children's ability to solve 

problems independently. 

2.3 The Impact of Positive Parenting Style on Children 

The direct impact of parents' parenting style is on children's thinking and cognition. Heo (2012) believes that 

family upbringing not only determines the quality of parent - child relationships, but also has a significant impact 

on children's psychological characteristics, and thus affects children's intellectual development. Parents who have 

positive parenting behaviors and higher requirements for their children are always beneficial to the positive health 

of children and adolescents. This not only provides protection for children to prevent delinquency, but also gives 

children good education and happiness experience to adapt to society (Baumrind, 1966; Lamborn et al., 1991; 

Darling, Steinberg, 1993). Kautz (2014) proved the significant impact of parenting style on children's non - 

cognitive abilities, including behavioral problems, social skills, and emotional problems. In a recent study, Falk et 

al. (2021) explored the relationship between parenting style and children's patience, risk aversion, behavior, and 

altruism. The study emphasized that the parenting style centered on children and warmth has a positive impact on 

these aspects. That is to say, the parenting style that combines effective discipline with parental warmth, that is, 

positive parenting, will enable children to have a higher adaptability (Martinez - Escudero et al., 2023). In the 

future development of children, parents' parenting styles play a certain guiding role in various aspects. The moral 

and behavioral standards of parents are expressed and conveyed in communication with their children, and children 

will imitate and apply these standards to form their own development (Park, 2002). 

Family upbringing plays a key role in children's acquisition of positive and negative habits. Generally speaking, 

extreme permissive and authoritarian parenting will lead to adverse outcomes for children (Hosokawa, Katsura, 

2019; Pinquart, Gerke, 2019). That is, parents with authoritarian and neglectful parenting styles impose harsh 

physical and psychological control on their children, which is more likely to lead to children's internalized 

disorders and externalized behavioral problems (Pinquart, 2016; Rinaldi, Howe, 2012). Zakeri (2013) showed in 

the study of the relationship between parenting style and academic procrastination that the positive parenting style 

involving "acceptance - participation" and "psychological autonomy - granting" was significantly negatively 

correlated with academic procrastination, that is, when parents used strict supervision parenting style, academic 

procrastination increased significantly. That is to say, when parents have a negative parenting style, children's self 

- efficacy decreases, resulting in children's procrastination in academics (Frost, Lahart, and Rosenblate, 1991). Oh 

(2014) found that when parents often punish or restrict their children, children's reaction to school life is more 

negative, and their achievement motivation will gradually decrease. Therefore, negative parenting styles may lead 

to children's rebellious psychology, have a negative impact on adolescents' adaptation to school life and learning 

enthusiasm, and may even internalize parents' authoritarian attitudes and behaviors, and replicate this pattern in 

their own lives and relationships in the future. 



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In rural areas, due to the limitations of traditional values and resources, the family education concepts are relatively 

outdated, there is a lack of professional talents, the school's family education guidance ability is weak, and the lack 

of family education support functions, which leads to the close relationship between parents' parenting styles and 

the cognitive, emotional, social, and academic development of children and adolescents (Durbin et al., 1993). The 

types of rural parenting styles are roughly determined to be permissive and authoritarian parenting styles, which 

are related to the academic achievement and moral character of rural students. Positive authoritative rural family 

education means that children can obtain the necessary learning support and encouragement, achieve higher 

academic achievement and self - efficacy, and thus may have the opportunity to receive higher - level education 

(Lau, Power, 2020). In addition, some researchers have observed that permissive parents may lead to greater 

insecurity in children because they have too much freedom and lack sufficient supervision, resulting in children's 

excessive emotional dependence, loss of self - control, and lack of courage to deal with difficult situations (Lo, 

2020). Lau (2020) believes that although authoritarian education may improve academic performance in some 

cases, authoritarian rural family education may lead to children feeling that their feelings and needs are not valued, 

resulting in emotional repression and communication barriers, and easily triggering children's rebellious behavior. 

It can be seen that in rural family education, kindness, discipline, and clear boundaries are more likely to help 

children's physical and mental health development than obedience and harsh attitudes. 

3. Methods 

3.1 Research Objects 

This study explores and analyzes the basic situation of positive parenting styles of parents of rural primary school 

students. Parents of students were chosen as the research objects. Due to the advantages of online questionnaires, 

such as low collection cost, convenience, and speed (Tan, Teo, 2000), this study collected online questionnaires 

from parents of lower - grade students in a primary school in Qingxi Village, Youxi County, Fujian Province 

through the method of online questionnaire filling and collection. In August 2024, the questionnaires were 

distributed through the Wenjuanxing APP, and data was collected over a period of two weeks. A total of 125 

questionnaires were collected, and 1 invalid questionnaire was screened out, leaving 124 questionnaires as the 

final data. The frequency of fathers as the main caregivers of the children in the family was 76, accounting for 

61.3%. The frequency of mothers as the main caregivers was 36, accounting for 29%. The number of children 

whose main caregivers were (maternal) grandparents and other relatives was relatively small, with a frequency of 

12, accounting for 9.7%. In terms of grade, there were 69 students in the first grade, accounting for 55.6%, and 55 

students in the second grade, accounting for 44.4%. Regarding the number of children in the family, there were 10 

only children, accounting for 8.1%. The frequency of families with two children was 62, accounting for 50%. The 

frequency of parents with three or more children was 52, accounting for 41.9%. According to the educational 

distribution of the main caregivers of the children in the family, there were 88 people with junior high school 

education or below, accounting for 71.1%. There were 21 people with high school education, accounting for 16.9%. 

The number of people with college education or above was 15, accounting for 12.1%. The characteristics of the 

research objects are shown in Table 1. 

 

Table 1. Background Characteristics of Research Objects 

Project Category Frequency Percentage(%) 

Primary Caregiver of Family Children 

Father 76 61.3 

Mother 36 29.0 

Maternal) Grandparents and 

Other Relatives 
12 9.7 

Grade 
One 69 55.6 

Two 55 44.4 

Number of Children in the Family 

One Child 10 8.1 

Two Children 62 50.0 

Three or More Children 52 41.9 

Educational Level of the Primary Caregiver 

of Family Children 

Junior High School and Below 88 71.1 

High School 21 16.9 

College and Above 15 12.1 

Total Number 124 100 

 



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3.2 Research Instruments 

In this study, to measure parents' parenting behaviors, 6 items and 12 questions from the revised Adolescent 

Motivation Model Parenting Attitude Scale by Tae and Eun (2017) were used. The factors of positive parenting 

attitude included three variables: warmth, autonomy support, and provision of assistance, with 12 questions in 

total. Each question was measured using a Likert - type 5 - point scale ( "completely disagree" = 1 point, "somewhat 

disagree" = 2 points, "neutral" = 3 poi 

nts, "somewhat agree" = 4 points, "completely agree" = 5 points). The higher the score of this scale, the higher the 

level of parents' positive parenting. In this study, the Cronbach α value of parents' positive parenting style 

calculated for students ranged from 0.889 to 0.946, with warmth at 0.889, autonomy support at 0.946, and 

provision of assistance also at 0.946. This confirmed the reliability of the instrument. Considering that a Cronbach 

α value greater than 0.60 is an acceptable level of confidence (DeVellis, 2012), the reliability of the questionnaire 

was acceptable. Therefore, the composition of questions for each variable of positive parenting style and the 

calculation results of Cronbach α reliability are shown in Table 2 below. 

 

Table 2: Composition of Questions and Reliability of Sub - factors in Positive Parenting Attitude Scale 

Factor Item Number Number of Questions Cronbach α 

Warmth 1,2,3,4 4 0.889 

Autonomy Support 5,6,7,8 4 0.946 

Provision of Assistance 9,10,11,12 4 0.946 

Total 12 0.970 

 

3.3 Procedural Analysis 

The data analysis in this study was carried out using the SPSS 26.0 program, and the analysis was conducted 

according to the following procedures. First, a frequency analysis was conducted to understand the general 

statistical characteristics of the research objects, and the frequency and percentage were calculated. Second, 

Cronbach α was calculated to verify the reliability of the measurement tools used in the study. Third, a descriptive 

statistical analysis was carried out to calculate the mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis of the main 

variables. Fourth, the differences in the three dimensions of positive parenting style among different demographic 

variables were analyzed. Specifically, a t - test statistical analysis was conducted on the differences in positive 

parenting style among different grades; an ANOVA statistical analysis was conducted on the differences in positive 

parenting style among different main caregivers of family children, the number of children in the family, and the 

educational level of the main caregivers of family children. Finally, strategies to promote positive parenting styles 

among rural parents were proposed based on the analysis results of this study. 

4. Results 

4.1 Comprehensive Situation Analysis 

Before analyzing the research questions, in order to examine the basic characteristics of the main variables, we 

calculated the mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis of the sub - factors of warmth, autonomy support, 

and provision of assistance in the positive parenting style of parents of lower - grade students, and presented the 

results together with the range of each variable in Table 3. The survey showed that the mean value of warmth in 

positive parenting style was M = 4.1552, the mean value of autonomy support was M = 4.1573, and the mean 

value of provision of assistance was M = 4.153, with the values of skewness and kurtosis between - 2 and 2. When 

the kurtosis and skewness are within - 2 and 2, it can be considered that the distribution shape is normal (Nadarajah, 

2005). 

 

Table 3. Descriptive Statistics of Key Variables 

Component Mean Standard Deviation Skewness Kurtosis 

Warmth 4.1552 .92810 -1.317 1.779 

Autonomy Support 4.1573 .95656 -1.516 2.189 

Provision of Assistance 4.153 .98023 -1.285 1.461 

 



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4.2 Difference Analysis 

To analyze the differences in positive parenting styles among parents of rural primary school students based on 

their demographic characteristics, a factor variance analysis was conducted. The t - test analysis method was used 

to examine the differences among students of different grades, while the ANOVA analysis method was employed 

to investigate the differences in warmth, autonomy support, and provision of assistance among different main 

caregivers of family children, the number of children in the family, and the educational level of the main caregivers 

of family children. The specific situation is shown in Table 4. 

In the family, the warmth (F = 4.869) provided by the main caregiver of the children has a significant impact on 

the children's growth. Specifically, the warmth provided by mothers (M = 4.34) is more prominent than that 

provided by fathers (M = 3.97), while the warmth provided by other relatives is relatively lower (M = 3.56). 

When examining the educational level of the main caregiver in the family, the provision of assistance (F = 3.248) 

is statistically significant, while there is no significant difference in warmth and autonomy support among 

caregivers with different educational levels. Moreover, caregivers with a college degree or above (M = 4.75) are 

more inclined to provide assistance, and caregivers with a high school education (M = 4.11) provide more help 

than those with a junior high school education or below (M = 4.09). In addition, no other variables showed 

significant differences. 

 

Table 4. Test of Differences in Scores of Positive Parenting Style among Parents in Demographic Aspects 

Component 

Positive Parenting Style 

Warmth 

（M±SD） 

Autonomy Support

（M±SD） 

Provision of 

Assistance 

（M±SD） 

Primary Caregiver 

of Family Children 

Mother（N=76） 4.34±0.84 4.31±0.89 4.27±0.93 

Father（N=36） 3.97±0.91 4.15±1.03 4.1±0.94 

Other Relatives（N=12） 3.56±1.22 3.69±1.07 3.58±1.23 

F 4.869 2.356 2.713 

p 0.009** 0.099 0.070 

Grade of Family 

Children 

1-3Grade（N=69） 4.01±1.04 4.09±1.05 4.07±1.09 

4-6Grade（N=55） 4.33±0.73 4.35±0.82 4.26±0.81 

t -1.912 -1.481 -1.080 

p 0.058 0.141 0.282 

Number of Family 

Children 

1（N=10） 4.23±0.72 3.95±0.95 3.93±1.06 

2（N=62） 4.22±0.79 4.3±0.75 4.24±0.8 

≥3（N=52） 4.06±1.1 4.14±1.16 4.11±1.16 

F 0.443 0.770 0.558 

p 0.643 0.465 0.574 

Educational Level 

of the Primary 

Caregiver in the 

Family 

Junior High School and 

Below 

（N=88） 

4.09±0.99 4.13±1.00 4.07±1.01 

High School（N=21） 4.17±0.83 4.13±0.95 4.11±1.00 

College and Above（N=15） 4.52±0.52 4.77±0.38 4.75±0.41 

F 1.358 3.055 3.248 

p 0.261 0.051 0.042* 

*p≤.05；**p≤.01，N=124 

 

5. Discussion and Conclusion 

The main purpose of this study is to conduct an in - depth investigation and analysis of the positive parenting styles 

of parents of rural primary school students, with a view to understanding the current implementation of positive 

parenting styles in rural families and proposing effective promotion strategies based on this. Firstly, in order to 

verify Research Question 1 "What is the situation of positive parenting styles among parents of rural primary 

school students?", this study conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis and difference analysis of 124 parents 

of rural primary school students. From the results of the descriptive statistical analysis, the overall trend of positive 

parenting styles among rural parents is relatively good, which indicates that in the current rural family education 



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environment, the concepts and methods of positive parenting have been popularized and practiced to a certain 

extent. However, despite the overall good level, in the specific analysis of sub - factors, we found that the score of 

autonomy support is higher than that of warmth and provision of assistance, which reveals that there is still room 

for improvement in the positive parenting styles of rural parents. Specifically, the higher score of autonomy support 

may be due to the fact that rural parents pay more attention to cultivating children's independence and autonomy 

when educating them, which helps children form the ability to think independently and solve problems. However, 

the relatively low scores of warmth and provision of assistance may mean that some rural parents, due to busy 

work or other reasons, are unable to give their children enough attention and support, so parents still need to 

strengthen their emotional care and practical help. 

In the difference analysis, the warmth parenting style provided by mothers is higher than that of fathers and other 

relatives, which is partially consistent with the study of Dyches (2012). In the family, mothers are usually more 

inclined than fathers to use emotional support and positive interaction methods to educate their children. This 

phenomenon may be related to the traditional concept of gender roles. Since mothers are usually the main 

caregivers of children, they have more opportunities to express warmth and support through daily interactions, and 

the educational background and social support system of mothers may also have an impact on their parenting styles. 

This continuous emotional communication helps to establish a closer parent - child relationship, thereby promoting 

children's psychological health and emotional development. Fathers and other relatives may be less involved in 

children's daily lives due to work burden or other responsibilities, resulting in their poorer performance in 

providing warm parenting compared with mothers. 

The main caregivers in families with a college degree or above provide the highest level of assistance - giving 

parenting style, followed by those with high school and junior high school education or below. This result is 

partially consistent with the study of Song (2024), and the educational background of family caregivers has a 

significant impact on children's growth and development. Caregivers with high education levels usually have more 

educational resources, knowledge reserves, and social support. They are more inclined to use scientific and 

systematic parenting methods in the process of raising children. They may pay attention to children's psychological 

development, understand the needs of children at different age stages, and thus provide more personalized and 

appropriate education. In contrast, caregivers with lower education levels may have a more singular understanding 

of children's development due to the limitations of their education level, or lack relevant parenting knowledge and 

skills. This leads to their more traditional or empirical parenting styles, which are difficult to meet the diverse 

needs of modern education. 

Secondly, to verify Research Question 2: "How to promote the family positive education of rural primary school 

students?", according to the research results of parents' positive parenting styles and their sub - dimensions, in 

family education, educators should pay more attention to children's warmth input, autonomy support, and provision 

of necessary assistance. When the family is filled with an atmosphere of love and care, it can effectively enhance 

children's sense of security, and the warmth and care conveyed by educators through words and deeds are one of 

the important factors for children's self - confidence and social interaction ability improvement. Therefore, 

educators should encourage parents to establish good parent - child relationships and listen to the voices of their 

children so that they can get emotional support. Secondly, in the process of rural primary school students' growth, 

parents' encouragement of children to make their own choices in daily life and actively participate in family 

decision - making is of great significance to the improvement of children's self - efficacy and sense of responsibility. 

Therefore, educators can organize family education lectures or workshops to help parents understand how to 

effectively encourage children's autonomy and provide suggestions for self - learning resources and activities 

suitable for rural students. In addition, rural primary school students often face the problem of lack of resources in 

their studies and life. In this regard, educators can suggest that families establish an effective communication 

mechanism, encourage families to pay attention to children's learning needs and emotional changes, and give 

necessary help and guidance when needed. 

This study analyzed the positive parenting styles of parents of rural primary school students in Qingxi Village, 

Fujian Province, and used descriptive statistics and difference analysis methods to reveal the current situation of 

family education in the area, providing information for understanding the family parenting patterns of similar rural 

communities. By showing in detail the specific performance of parents in dimensions such as warmth, autonomy 

support, and provision of assistance, the policy recommendations proposed in the study aim to improve the quality 

of family education in rural areas and promote the effective use of community educational resources, which has 

certain guiding significance. However, the limitations of the study should not be ignored. Firstly, due to the 

possibly singular sample, the results may lack wide representativeness, and the sample size can be further expanded 

in the future to enhance the reliability of the study. Secondly, data collection mainly relies on questionnaire surveys, 



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which may have subjective bias. Future research should consider combining multiple methods to improve the 

objectivity and accuracy of data. Finally, the study did not fully consider the impact of local culture on parenting 

styles, which is an important aspect that needs in - depth exploration in future research. Although some suggestions 

have been put forward, due to the lack of actual intervention verification, the effectiveness of these suggestions 

still needs to be further tested and adjusted in practice. 

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