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Chinese version of comprehensive early childhood parenting questionnaire (CECPAQ-CV): Factor structure, reliability, and validity

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Abstract

Although the research interest in parenting behaviors of Chinese parents has increased during the past two decades, there remains a lack of an adequate and comprehensive Chinese assessment tool for these parenting behaviors in early childhood. Drawn from two samples of Chinese mothers with young children (i.e., 1- to 4-year-olds), this research addressed this gap by examining the factor structure, reliability, and validity of a Chinese version of the Comprehensive Early Childhood Parenting Questionnaire (CECPAQ-CV). Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a 5-factor model, consisting of 13 micro-dimensions of parenting behaviors, best fitted the data for Sample 1 (N1 = 2179) compared with 1-factor, 2-factor, and 4-factor models. This 5-factor model was further validated with the data for Sample 2 (N2 = 160). Reliability was good. The criterion validity of the CECPAQ-CV was supported by expected relations with maternal parenting stress and child externalizing and internalizing behaviors. The convergent and discriminant validity of the CECPAQ-CV was established with the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale. The results indicate that the CECPAC-CV holds promise as a reliable and valid tool to measure important dimensions of early parenting in China.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the parents and children who participated in this study.

Funding

This work was supported by the Capacity Building for Sci-Tech Innovation – Fundamental Scientific Research Funds under Grant 19530050184.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Key Lab of “Learning and Cognition”, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing, 100037, China

    Shuyang Dong & Zhengyan Wang

  2. Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Shuyang Dong & Judith Semon Dubas

  3. Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Maja Deković

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  1. Shuyang Dong
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Dong, S., Dubas, J.S., Deković, M. et al. Chinese version of comprehensive early childhood parenting questionnaire (CECPAQ-CV): Factor structure, reliability, and validity. Curr Psychol 42, 16082–16097 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01268-0

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