Yeqing LiGraduate Studentshe/her/hers

I am interested in the separate and joint influences of fathering and mothering on child development from perspective of family systems. My research focuses on how parenting beliefs and behaviors develop and evolve in the context of culture, such as intensive parenting ideology. I have a particular interest in parenting and child development in underrepresented families. Aiming to promote family well-being with my research findings, I am determined to advocate paternal involvement and supportive coparenting relationships in childrearing.

During my study at East China Normal University, I accumulated rich research experience and skills under the advice of Dr. Lixin Ren. I also worked as a research assistant in several international projects with the guidance of Dr. Antje von Suchodoletz, Dr. Diana Leyva, and Dr. Zhuo Han. I kept focusing on research in the field of parenting and grandparenting and early child development in the contemporary Chinese context. In 2023, I completed my master’s thesis that investigated Chinese mothers’ intensive mothering attitudes and practices and their relationships with maternal psychological well-being and preschoolers’ social-emotional development. The findings were presented at the Society for Research in Child Development 2023 Biennial Meeting. My master’s thesis deepened my research interests in fathering, mothering, and its joint influence on child development. I am currently advised by Dr. Alvin Thomas and inspired to explore the associations between parenting and child development in underrepresented families.

Selected Publications and Presentations

Li, Y., & Ren, L. (March 2023). Intensive mothering and young children’s school readiness in contemporary China: The good and the bad. Flash talk paper presented at the 2023 SRCD Biennial Meeting, Utah, USA.

Li, Y., & Ren, L. (March 2023). Intensive mothering, maternal psychological well-being, and children’s social-emotional development in the Chinese context. Flash talk paper presented at the 2023 SRCD Biennial Meeting, Utah, USA.

Li, Y., Zhang, Z., von Suchodoletz, A., Ren, L., Ng, F., & Yu, D. (March 2023). Cross-cultural differences in American, Chinese, and Indian mothers’ socialization goals with toddlers: Temperament as moderator. Flash talk paper presented at the 2023 SRCD Biennial Meeting, Utah, USA.

von Suchodoletz, A., Leyva, D., Ren, L., Li, Y., Zhang, Z., & Ng., F. (March 2023). How Chinese mothers and grandmothers read books with toddlers and its relations with toddlers’ language. Symposium paper presented at the 2023 SRCD Biennial Meeting, Utah, USA.

Ren, L., Dimova, L., von Suchodoletz, A., Li, Y., Zhang, Z., Yu, D., & Ng, F. (July 2022). Cross-cultural similarities and differences in mothers’ metacognition about book-sharing with young children. Poster presented at the SIG 5 Learning and Development in Early Childhood Conference 2022, Utrecht, The Netherlands.