ONLY-CHILDREN: THE MYTHS AND THE REALITY

Findings range from the good and the bad to the simply untrue

Only-children are selfish: Because they never have to share, and consequently never learn to get along with peers. A study of 421 Chinese children in 2013, suggested that the one-child policy had produced Little Emperors – pampered kids who grew up to be less trusting, more pessimistic and less conscientious. But a larger study with more than 1,000 Chinese school kids debunked this.

They’re raised differently: A 2011 Indian study marking the rise in single-child households suggests that as incomes grow, parents use more rewards than punishments to instil good behaviour. Only-children benefit most from this.

They’re stubborn, egocentric, self-absorbed or hypochondriac: Claire Hughes, developmental psychologist, says those traits are as common in kids with siblings. In Germany, a study of 2,000 adults found that only-children are no more likely to be narcissistic.

They’re more likely to be obese: Last year, a study of 20,000 Chinese adults looked at eating habits and found that those who had been only-children tended to make less healthy food choices than those raised in big families. Only-sons in urban China were 36% more likely to be overweight and 43% more likely to be obese.

They’re smarter: A review of 115 studies of people with and without siblings, in the US and Canada, found that only-children scored higher on IQ tests than others. Only firstborns and those with one younger siblings did better academically. But the study suggested that the gap decreased with age.

They face more pressure: A 2018 study of 10,000 German schoolchildren suggested that only-children have stronger bonds with their parents. Many are raised with higher expectations, which might make them more driven. They might also worry more about life after a parent’s death.

They’re lonely:Those 115 studies also revealed that only-children do not experience loneliness at higher levels than those with siblings. A 2011 study did find that only-children engaged in fewer social activities with relatives as adults. But it did not affect their sociability with friends and colleagues.

They’re just fine: Toni Falbo, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas, has researched only-children since the 1970s. Her conclusion: Across developmental outcomes, only-children were indistinguishable from firstborns and people from small families and, on average, did better on most parameters than children from large families.