Systematic review and meta-analysis of urban-rural differences in parenting styles among Chinese secondary school students

Objective: Previous literature has reported inconsistent findings regarding urban–rural differences in parenting styles among Chinese parents. This meta-analysis aims to reconcile these discrepancies. Design: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, OVID, Web of Knowledge, CNKI, Wan Fang, and Chongqing VIP databases through February 11, 2024, with no restrictions on language, date, or document type. A random effects model was applied using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0 software, and study quality was assessed using a standardized checklist. Results: Forty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria, including 16,222 urban and 14,975 rural secondary school students. The analysis showed that urban parents demonstrate significantly higher levels of warmth and overprotection than rural parents. These differences are likely attributable to disparities in economic status, educational attainment, parental age, household structure, and broader social conditions. Notably, regional factors moderated urban–rural differences in maternal overprotection, with more pronounced contrasts observed in Eastern China than in other regions. Conclusions: The findings highlight the complex interaction between urban–rural disparities and regional variation in Chinese parenting practices. These insights may inform the development of more context-sensitive policies and interventions to support families across diverse settings in China.