Maternal Encouragement of Sociability and Adjustment in Nonmigrant and Migrant Children in Urban China

This 1-year longitudinal study examined the relations between maternal encouragement of sociability and social, school, and psychological adjustment in nonmigrant (n = 355, M_age = 9.90 years) and migrant children (n = 248,M_age = 9.95 years) in urban China. Data were obtained from multiple sources, including mothers’ reports, peer nominations, teacher ratings, and child self-reports. The results showed that maternal encouragement of sociability negatively contributed to later loneliness in nonmigrant children, but not in migrant children. Moreover, among nonmigrant children, maternal encouragement of sociability was negatively associated with later behavioral problems for those who had higher initial behavioral problems, and positively associated with later perceived self-worth for those with higher initial self-worth. Among migrant children, the maternal encouragement of sociability was positively associated with later peer victimization and learning problems for those who had higher initial problems. The results indicate that maternal encouragement of sociability may function differently in the nonmigrant and migrant family contexts in China.