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This study is the first to examine the effects of age and gender on different forms of peer victimization among local Chinese schoolchildren in Hong Kong. The cross-sectional study recruited a sample of 8604 schoolchildren aged between 8 and 16 from 24 primary (elementary) and secondary (middle) schools in Hong Kong. The Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale was used to measure how often the participants had experienced physical and verbal victimization, social manipulation, and attacks on property during the last school term. The participants were divided into three age groups (8–10, 11–13, 14–16) based on the average ages of senior primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary school students. Two-way MANOVA and subsequent two-way ANOVAs were used to analyze the data. Physical victimization and attacks on property were found to decrease with age. Across the age groups, boys were more likely than girls to experience physical and verbal victimization, but not social manipulation. However, the gender × age group interaction effects were insignificant. The findings suggest that educators and helping professionals should consider providing gender-specific anti-bullying programs in schools.

The present study aims to delineate the effects of family violence and parent–adolescent conflict on antisocial behavior exhibited by adolescents in the Chinese casino city of Macau. The social interaction perspective indicates the significance of coercive family processes in relation to adolescents’ antisocial behavior, and the related moderating role of positive parenting behavior. How this process is experienced by Chinese Macau adolescents, who are influenced by traditional Chinese culture, is explored. This article examines the relationship of family violence and parent–adolescent conflict with adolescents’ antisocial behavior in Macau. It also examines the possible moderating role of parental support in this relationship. Using a stratified proportional approach, a random sample of 1889 Grade 7 to Grade 12 students was taken from Macau high schools. The young people reported their neutral/positive behavior and delinquent behavior, family conflict, and emotional and instrumental support they received from parents. Multiple regression analyses suggest that family violence and parent–adolescent conflict are correlated with adolescent antisocial behavior. Moreover, both instrumental and emotional support from parents can moderate the effect of family conflict on adolescents’ antisocial behavior. Parents providing instrumental and emotional support to Macau Chinese adolescents is negatively correlated with adolescent antisocial behavior in Macau. In view of the long and unstable working hours of parents working in a gambling city, social workers in Macau could develop more innovative programs to support parents in Macau.

Although parent–child discrepant perception of the family has been increasingly noted in the west, pertinent research is limited in Chinese societies. In addition, prior pertinent studies p...

Marital liberalization in terms of public support for polygamous, underage or child, and consanguineous or close-kin marriages emerges to be controversial and requires more understanding. A possible understanding is that such liberalization is unconventional and thus impedes integration with society. According to this social integration vision, marital liberalization is incompatible with marriage and religiosity and inimical to life satisfaction. To examine this vision, this study analyzes data obtained from a random-sample survey of 2099 Hong Kong Chinese adults. Results support the vision in that life satisfaction was significantly lower in those favoring marital liberalization, who were significantly lower in religiosity and more likely unmarried. This implies that marital liberalization is incompatible with social integration.