Exploring Acts of Gratitude toward Parents among Chinese Adolescents: A Study on Families in Xi’an City, Shaanxi, China

Hampson (2008) posits that a child’s habitual behaviors have a lasting influence on their adult life and character. However, there has been limited systematic research on children’s habitual expressions of gratitude toward their parents. This paper presents findings from interviews conducted in November 2019 with 21 parents of 13 children, aged 12 to 14, in Xi’an City, Shaanxi, China. Grounded theory methodology was employed to identify themes related to children’s acts of gratitude and their links to parenting practices for character education. The interviews were conducted in Chinese and analyzed using NVivo.

Data analysis has revealed five distinct categories of expressions of gratitude. Notably, letters of gratitude written by children to their parents were deemed the most heartfelt and thoughtful. However, it was discovered that these letters were often part of school assignments. The findings suggest that character cultivation, especially in the context of gratitude, received limited attention in these families. Instead, a strong emphasis was placed on the value of thrift as a cornerstone of character education within these households.