The research paper, entitled "Why Are Chinese Mothers More Controlling Than American Mothers?" surveyed 215 mothers and children in China and the US six years ago and the results were published in the recent issue of Child Development Journal.
Parents and children were surveyed twice over a year to indicate the extent to which the parents used psychological controlling practices, which usually involved emotional punishment, such as inducing guilt. For instance, if a child does something the parents don't like, parents may act less friendly toward it or tell the child that they should feel guilty.