Parent-Child Relationships and Happiness Across Cultures

Abstract

A key component of parents' and children's happiness is the parent-child relationship. Children's happiness is generally associated with their parents' happiness and parenting skills, and parents' happiness can be influenced by their children's characteristics, and further, their own parental status. Given the variability in parenting practices across cultures and the way country-level factors contribute to parents' and children's well-being, it is critical to consider this research from a cross-cultural perspective. This chapter provides an overview of literature on parent-child relationships and happiness across cultures and identifies important gaps to address in the future.