Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2022 Apr;63(4):466-479.
doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13539. Epub 2021 Nov 11.

Annual Research Review: Cross-cultural similarities and differences in parenting

Jennifer E Lansford  1
Affiliations
Review

Annual Research Review: Cross-cultural similarities and differences in parenting

Jennifer E Lansford. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

This article reviews contemporary research on cross-cultural similarities and differences in parenting. The article begins by providing a definition of culture and how both parenting and culture can change over historical time. The article then presents some classic theoretical frameworks for understanding culture and parenting before considering why parenting may be similar across cultures and why parenting may be different across cultures. The article next turns to a review of cross-cultural similarities and differences in several aspects of parenting, including physical caregiving, cognitive stimulation, warmth and acceptance, control and monitoring, and discipline. Cultural normativeness and beliefs on the legitimacy of parental authority are then considered as potential moderators that contribute to cross-cultural similarities and differences in relations between parenting and child outcomes. The article then considers implications for parenting interventions and laws and policies related to parenting. Finally, the article suggests directions for future research.

Keywords: Parenting; child development; cross-cultural; parent-child relationships; socio-cultural influence.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: No conflicts declared.

Comment in

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. 76 Crimes. (2021). 71 countries where homosexuality is illegal. Available https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/
    1. Alampay LP, Lachman JM, Landov BV, Madrid BJ, Ward CL, Hutchings J, Alinea MCD, & Gardner F (2018). Preventing child maltreatment in low- and middle-income countries: Parenting for Lifelong Health in the Philippines. In Verma S & Petersen A (Eds.), Developmental science and sustainable development goals for children and youth (pp. 277–293). Springer. 10.1007/978-3-319-96592-5_15 - DOI
    1. Arnett JJ (2008). The neglected 95%: Why American psychology needs to become less American. American Psychologist, 63(7), 602–614. 10.1037/0003-066X.63.7.602 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Babatunde ED, & Setiloane K (2014). Changing patterns of Yoruba parenting in Nigeria. In Selin H (Ed.), Parenting across cultures: Childrearing, motherhood and fatherhood in non-western cultures (pp. 241–252). Springer. 10.1007/978-94-007-7503-9_18 - DOI
    1. Barber BK, Xia M, Olsen JA, McNeely CA, & Bose K (2012). Feeling disrespected by parents: Refining the measurement and understanding of psychological control. Journal of Adolescence, 35(2), 273–287. 10.1016/j.adolescence.2011.10.010 - DOI - PubMed

Publication types