Beyond patriarchal norms: prevalence, gendered patterns, and risk factors of child maltreatment in matrilineal and patrilineal China

The existing research on child maltreatment focuses predominantly on patriarchal kinship systems, with matriarchal kinship systems remaining understudied. To fill this research gap, we examined differences in child maltreatment (excluding sexual abuse) across matrilineal and patrilineal ethnic groups in 1,475 adolescents (mean age = 12.16 years, SD = 1.09; 49.02% female) from China. The study’s findings revealed three principal insights. First, matrilineal groups exhibit significantly lower prevalence rates of physical abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect compared to patrilineal groups. Second, girls are more vulnerable to physical abuse and emotional neglect in matrilineal societies, while boys face a higher risk in patrilineal societies. No significant differences were observed in physical neglect and emotional abuse among these groups. Third, most risk factors for child maltreatment within a patrilineal framework cannot predict matrilineal ethnic group. This study enhances our understanding of child maltreatment across different kinship systems and reveals complex gender dynamics within this context. It challenges the patriarchal-centered knowledge system in child maltreatment research by examining the underrepresented matriarchal societies.