Parental preference for boys damages girls’ self-esteem and happiness
While most studies of parental sex discrimination explore the devastating social and demographic effects of a cultural preference for boys, a new study examines its psychological effects on the girls themselves. Poh-Chua Siah, from the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman in Malaysia, asked over 800 Chinese Malaysian children questions about their happiness, self-esteem and, most importantly, if they felt they were treated differently by their parents because of their sex. The Chinese community in Malaysia was a good choice