Parental care among only children in China: Motivation, provision, and experiences

Being the only child in the family means concentrated responsibilities for parental care. This study presents findings from 23 semi-structured interviews with Chinese only children, exploring their care motivation, provision, and experiences within the context of Chinese filial piety and social change. We developed a typology by examining how Chinese only children responded to their parents’ care needs and why they provided care (or chose not to). Four caregiver types emerged, each with distinct experiences. Wholehearted intensive caregivers generally had positive experiences, whereas obligatory intensive caregivers often had negative experiences. Partially engaged caregivers felt either content or guilty, and minimal-sufficient caregivers exhibited fewer pronounced positive or negative experiences but were concerned about parent’s future care needs. In a social context characterized by a lack of public care support and an emphasis on filial piety, the caregiving experiences of only children was influenced by whether there was alignment between their intrinsic motivations and actions, and their ability to achieve internal balance and external understanding from their social network. Being the only child profoundly impacted their care motivation, provision, and experiences. Our findings suggest that factors influencing the caregiving experiences should be considered holistically, with attention to the broader social context.