The Influence of Parenting Styles on Child-Parent Relationship Among Chinese and Bumiputera in Sabah

Abstract

Several studies on child-parent relationships in Malaysia have been conducted before COVID-19. After the pandemic, most child-parent relationship studies were conducted abroad, such as Singapore, Greece, Belgium, and the United States. However, there are no published studies that investigated the child-parent relationship among Chinese and Bumiputera parents with preschool children in Sabah. This study aims to examine the difference in parenting styles between Chinese and Bumiputera parents with preschool children in Sabah. As well, to examine the influence of parenting styles on child-parent relationships. In the pilot study, 49 parents of preschool-aged children were surveyed. The reliability and validity are tested and convinced. This study would like to provides parents, educators, and the government with a preliminary picture of parenting styles and child-parent relationships to develop a strategy to improve or adjust early childhood education in the post-pandemic.